Routines Rewritten
by IcyKali
Summary: Despite traveling Alola, a region known for its friendly atmosphere and rich history, Colress reaches an impasse, unable to progress in his research. He is cannot make sense of case studies such as Lillie's Z-Powered form. However, after Ghetsis calls Colress on the phone, their lives begin to undergo their own transformations. AntiGravityShipping, set post-Ultra Moon.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Over a year ago, I wrote a one-shot with a similar premise to that of this fanfiction. However, after over six months of planning that included analyzing USUM, reevaluating the characters and their relationship in canon, and rewriting my Colress essay, I decided to write a brand-new, multi-chapter story from scratch! I hope everyone enjoys it!_

The sun over Alola blazed as Colress approached the entrance to the Aether Paradise. He knew the VLFS was mainly white so that its high albedo would keep the pokémon inside at a reasonable temperature—an excellent creative decision—yet it led to a blinding exterior. Colress felt a swell of pride at the memory of choosing an optimal glare-proof coating for his glasses lenses and creating his temperature-regulated Achromatic Wearable Console. Such preventative measures allowed him to travel anywhere in Alola as he pleased. Today, his goal was to conduct specific field research—the Aether Foundation had a unique bond with the pokémon it kept housed, and the research conducted within it was even more interesting. After Colress had been able to influence and observe the events that took place within the Foundation, it was especially important for him to conduct a post hoc analysis of the information that emerged! His subjects responded mostly as expected, though exciting new data emerged in media res. Changes in the subjects had to be recorded all the way through their development so that he could determine the full significance of the impact of the events.

Colress approached the cavernous entrance to Aether Paradise's loading area. He observed employees heaving boxes filled with assortments of mechanical parts. Colress made a show of smiling and nodding at the workers. He turned back toward the entrance and Aether President Lusamine strode into the light, with Guzma following close behind her. Based on the way they held themselves high and surveyed the area, Colress deduced that they were supervising the work. When Lusamine saw him, she tensed up slightly. She nodded to Guzma before approaching Colress.

"Oh, President Lusamine, it is good to see you again!" Colress exclaimed, as if he had only just noticed her. "And Guzma. I am always curious to see how you are learning to bring out the full power of your pokémon."

Guzma just went, "Tch," and looked away.

"Colress… I am glad to see you, as well," said Lusamine. "I wanted to express how grateful I am that you assisted us in returning my Paradise to normal after that… Rainbow Rocket incident. And your incredible device that allows poor Necrozma to regain its light, through the legendary pokémon's help—lovely!"

Colress was brimming with pride. He closed his eyes, remembering Necrozma's blinding fusion. "Yes, drawing out the true power of Necrozma was no easy feat, and the sight of it in the Champion's team is very interesting!" When he noticed that Lusamine and Guzma were not saying anything, he added, "And to do so through trust and compassion was key—indeed, it was the only way."

Lusamine smiled sadly. "Of course, it is the only way to keep the ones you love safe. That is why I've ordered the renovation of the Aether Paradise! Thanks to the efforts of our young Champion, I've learned that my past methods were shameful, and I must use my new knowledge to reshape the Paradise so that we can better care for—"

"Get to the point, Ma'am!" said Guzma.

"Call me just Lusamine now, Guzma." She looked askance, toward the building. Cool air from inside rushed around her, causing her shell-like hair to sway. "Colress, it has come to my attention that you saw my… my… collection. I must assure you that I am no longer so cruel, and that my dear employees are developing a way to safely thaw and release those poor pokémon."

"Ah yes, I remember your Trophy Room," Colress said, typing on his console—this was an intriguing, though not unexpected, interaction with a key figure in this area of interest. "Of course an intelligent trainer such as yourself would learn to stop utilizing such inefficient methods."

Lusamine quirked an eyebrow. "'Inefficient?'"

"I am surprised that you do not understand, considering your status as my scientific peer," Colress said. "If one is to preserve a pokémon subject in a single state for an indefinite period of time, the pokémon should be at its full potential! It's far less useful otherwise..." Colress could not help but smirk. "Why, some of your specimens were far from even evolving!"

Lusamine and the Aether Employees nearby were shocked. After a moment, however, Lusamine motioned toward the scandalized employees and gave them a polite, glowing look, and they continued their work.

"Heh, I knew you were a creep!" said Guzma.

Colress's mouth opened slightly in dull surprise. "Excuse me? You'll have to forgive me if my criticism strayed into rudeness, but I certainly did not intend to insult President Lusamine." Despite his apologetic words, he was unable to keep his usual smile from returning.

"Heh heh heh…" Lusamine held her hand in front of her mouth as she laughed. When she lowered it, she revealed her lopsided grin. "Guzma was referring to the misguided nature of your objection. But I'm not surprised that you'd say such a thing. After all, I'm not the only one here who is experienced with selfishly freezing things!"

Guzma looked between Lusamine and Colress, clearly unsure what was going on. Colress's smile remained. "I'm afraid you have been misinformed, President Lusamine," said Colress. "I was forced to do so by a terrible man—Ghetsis. The Ghetsis of this world, that is!"

Lusamine shook her head, which sent deep shadows playing over her eyes. "Hmm. My research suggests that you joined that wretched villain's team willingly."

"That is true. However, I had no idea the lengths Ghetsis would—"

Guzma cut him off. "Yeah, but… if you're smart, you must've known what you were getting into! I did when I got into bed with Lusamine!"

Lusamine pouted at Guzma's turn of phrase but kept her sharp eyes focused on Colress.

Sensing that this situation required a new strategy, Colress paused in his typing and bowed his head slightly. He looked down at the spotless white surface that extended in every direction. "It is true. I joined Team Plasma of my own accord because I longed to see different sides in my pursuit of scientific truth. It was wrong of me to act in such a manner, as a trainer a few years ago kindly demonstrated to me… I now know that pokémon can only reach their full potential through trust and their bonds with trainers!"

Guzma stormed off as Colress talked, leaving only Lusamine. She smiled ruefully. "Ah. Well, touring Aether Paradise and researching the methods of my employees and their care for pokémon will certainly benefit you. Enjoy your visit." She quickly walked after Guzma, with a spring in her step. Colress thought she looked like someone inwardly laughing at some private joke.

While Colress found these unexpected results unfortunate, he knew they were unlikely to have any ill effects on his plan of action. The Ultra Recon Squad, who he very much wished to speak to, no longer trusted Lusamine or Guzma after Lusamine attempted to use the machine—the one Colress himself designed—for her own selfish purposes. Thus, it mattered little if either was predisposed to distrust him. More importantly, the attitudes of any humans would no longer matter if he achieved his newest goal! He walked into the Aether Paradise building, where the pale grey wall panelling around him and cool air rushing over his head as he entered made him nostalgic. He smiled to the secretary as he passed the front desks and approached the elevator. The Conservation Area was an excellent spot for conducting research on the bonds between humans and pokémon. But when he reached the elevator shaft, the triangular platform was not present.

Soon the control panel lit up, and the platform rose up from the basement floor. The newly-appointed Branch Chief, Wicke, was giving Intern Faba a long-suffering smile as he struggled to carry a single box. Colress moved to stand out of their way and observed them discreetly.

"Urrgh… why must you give your irreplaceable Intern this grunt work?" Faba winced. "Making him carry this… memorabilia—it is disrespectful, isn't it?!"

"I-Intern Faba, please don't lift with your arms! Lift with your—eep!" Wicke looked away as Faba dropped the box on his foot and shrieked.

"So this is how true indignity feels," said Faba. "Ms. Wicke, please, let me go to the medical room! What if I've broken my foot?"

Wicke looked left and right, which Colress knew meant she was embarrassed to be seen with Faba, but was far too polite for harsh words. "That box was rather light, and your boots are steel-toed—oh, of course. I will take it off your hands."

Faba grinned and nodded profusely, before running off the platform, leaving the box where it was. Wicke sighed softly in amusement. She stepped forward and noticed Colress, who had been waiting patiently through this exchange.

"Ms. Wicke!" Colress exclaimed, as if pleasantly surprised. "Excuse me—Branch Chief Wicke! Congratulations on your recent promotion." Colress heard Faba stop running and felt his glare, but kept innocently smiling at Wicke.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Colress." Wicke sheepishly adjusted her glasses. "It was certainly unexpected though, wasn't it? But a lot of good has come from the disaster you helped all of us set right, as I am sure you can see."

"Yes…" Colress stopped paying attention to her words. A gleaming, framed photograph lying on top of the objects in the box caught his eye. He walked up to the box and unthinkingly took the photo into his hands. A young, blonde girl in an elaborate, bell-shaped dress stood stiffly in the center of the composition. Her hands were close to her body, as if she was praying for sanctuary. She was frowning, and the hat she wore—which was far too large—cast a dark shadow over her defeated eyes.

"A grand transformation, isn't it?" Wicke asked.

"O-Oh, indeed! Excuse me for picking this up without asking." Colress glanced at Wicke before returning to gaze at the photo, bewildered. "This is Miss Lillie, is it not?"

"Yes." Wicke's voice carried a sad note. "This photo was taken only a few short years ago. However, Miss Lillie's life would forever change when she decided to risk everything to protect her pokémon friend… and when she would meet the young Champion and Master Hau. Of course, I'm sure you already know what wonders friendship can do considering your research, Mr. Colress."

Colress put down the photograph, "Yes… just as the bonds pokémon share with their trainers cause them to unleash their full power, Miss Lillie utilized her bonds and underwent incredible change," he said flatly. He paused to consider how much of his new focus he should reveal. "Well then, Ms. Wicke, currently I am researching the possibility of new worlds! The Rainbow Rocket incident caused me to realize the importance of researching different worlds in order to harness the power to travel between them for a just cause! Have you seen the Ultra Recon Squad members as of late? They could be of use to me."

Wicke shook her head. "I'm glad you're looking into the subject, but I haven't heard from them in some time… they left Aether Paradise to continue investigating our world. They could be anywhere in the region, I'm afraid. Maybe you could talk to the Champion instead, however—she knows a thing or two about dimensional travel!"

Colress's smile thinned slightly. He recorded this new information using his wearable console. "Splendid idea! I will be sure to take your advice." This was not the result he had been hoping for. The Champion's experience with facing off against evil leaders and her eternally determined look suggested that she was far less naive than the alien Ultra Recon Squad. "For now, please allow me to continue conducting research on the bonds between pokémon and trainers in the Conservation Area."

* * *

The full moon beaming down on Blush Mountain made the dry, golden grass appear a pale green, and made the craggy red earth a deep violet. The soft rustling of the grass was the only sound, and Colress stepped lightly in order to avoid making any noise himself. He could not afford to be spotted before entering the Geothermal Power Plant. He kept close to a dark cliff face, and before he reached the fence beside the mountain outpost, he activated his newly-developed invisibility device. This nighttime field research doubled as an excellent opportunity to determine whether or not it fooled security cameras! He slipped behind a metal barrel and sent out his Magnezone, which appeared in front of the fence after a flash of light. The Geothermal Power Plant attracted several rare species of electric-type pokémon, so Colress knew that his Magnezone being caught on film would not expose him.

"Now, use your magnetism to unlock the gate. I put my trust in you." Colress smiled as his Magnezone turned around in confusion before it recognized its trainer's EM field. "Go on!"

Magnezone spun back around and slowly turned its anterior magnets. A _clink_ resounded throughout the area and the gate was pulled open, the gap just wide enough for a human to enter.

"Marvelous!" Colress made his way inside the usually-closed-off part of the power plant. As soon as he stepped inside the compound, Magnezone closed and locked the gate, putting everything back to its usual state.

"My trust in you helped you achieve your full potential!" Colress beamed. He withdrew his pokémon and made the trek toward the Geothermal generator that lay at the site's heart. The cooling towers loomed over it, glinting in the moonlight. The moon was so large and bright that its illumination overpowered any star that would otherwise be visible. The rushing and whirring sounds emanating from the giant steam separator made the entire mountain seem like a giant, dormant pokémon.

Once Colress reached the generator, he exclaimed to nobody, "How interesting! Will the electromagnetic fields stimulate my pokémon's latent power and increase its strength, or act as a disruption?" After logging his hypotheses, he sent out his Metagross. "I trust that you will be an ideal test subject, Metagross! I believe in you and your computing capabilities!"

Metagross swiveled this way and that, stomping its heavy feet. The lights in its eyes alternated rapidly between glowing scarlet and a faint blood red tone. It cried out, its call distorted.

Colress recorded this finding. "Oh, it appears to be a disrupting force, at least for the—"

Metagross cried out again, loudly.

"You there! How unkind of you to be so unruly when I'm filing away info! Please, be respectful to me as I am to you." Colress smiled widely at his pokémon and took a few steps closer to it. As he did, his shadow fell over Metagross, the bright moon above causing it be immensely dark.

Metagross went quiet and froze, though its eyes kept flickering in distress.

When Colress finished typing up the information, he held out his Key Stone. "Now, to ensure that you are at the peak of your potential! Will the added stimuli of Mega Evolution and electromagnetism increase your power, or will it shut down your four brains? Inform me!"

With those words, Metagross became encased by a shell of rainbow-colored light. It emerged as a Mega Metagross, but instead of the powerful, ringing call its species normally made, it screeched, like two pieces of steel grinding against each other. It repeatedly jabbed its arms out and used Bullet Punch on nothing.

"Splendid! This energy is incredible! Now, an appropriate target is required!" Colress yelled, forgetting he was in a restricted area. "Beheeyem, I have faith in you," he said, as it was only proper to do so. He took out a Poké Ball and sent out his Beheeyem, which appeared in the air beside Mega Metagross.

Mega Metagross let out a metallic growl and regarded Beheeyem with a piercing glare.

"How interesting! Mega Metagross no longer recognizes Beheeyem, and perceives it as a prey item!"

Beheeyem quivered and backed away. It held out its hands, and its fingers began flashing different colors.

"Stop. Do not use your psychic powers to calm Mega Metagross." Colress's eyes narrowed. "I don't understand the reason behind my pokémon's undisciplined behavior..."

Beheeyem obeyed and lowered its arms, but continued shaking.

"I see… you are frightened! But Mega Metagross previously struck you during the control test, so you should already be prepared!" Colress grinned. "In any case, the experiment can now progress as planned. Mega Metagross, use Meteor Mash!"

Mega Metagross pulled back its upper right arm, which lit up a fiery blue and sent out sparks like shooting stars. Beheeyem curled into itself, which did nothing to lessen the impact. The Meteor Mash hit it like a comet and it rocketed into the air. Just before it slammed into a cooling tower, Colress withdrew it and it was sent back to its Poké Ball, unconscious.

Colress withdrew Mega Metagross as well. He simply stood alone for a minute, listening to the echoing sounds of machinery and taking in the mountain landscape once again. The underground steam sighed. "Oh… the attack was no more powerful than before," Colress said, finally remembering to be quiet. "Perhaps there were unknown factors, or the electromagnetic interference lessened its strength. I was aware of the possibility." He suddenly felt rather silly, standing in the middle of the empty plant. Perhaps his misbehaving pokémon were to blame.

He hung his head as he left the compound and walked back to the base of Blush Mountain. Though there was nothing interesting to encounter in this area, it did not feel right to immediately return to the Tide Song Hotel. The thought of the hotel room was somehow both empty and constricting at once. Instead, he continued to stroll through the fields. When he looked east, he could see beyond the shore. An oscillating white stripe of reflected moonlight cut through the black sea. Colress then looked up high, to the void that was usually speckled with stars. Why was it that even in Alola, a region where trainers could make their bonds with pokémon visible, where there was an entire organization dedicated to goals similar to his, he could not bring out the full power of his pokémon? Why could he not replicate Lillie's results? He had tested that trainer from a few years ago, and he had proven that trust and bonds allow pokémon to reach peak potential. Yet, his own studies yielded lackluster results. If this pattern were to continue, he would have to accelerate his plans to investigate new worlds and leave this one behind.

A beeping noise brought Colress out of his thoughts. He stopped pacing and made a surprised sound—his cell phone was ringing! He checked the caller ID and noticed that the call was from an unfamiliar number. He swiped the alert off the screen and answered it. "This is Colress the scientist."

Nothing but faint, labored breathing came through the phone's speaker.

"Excuse me, but is this a prank call?" Colress asked.

"...I know everything seems like a joke to you, Colress, but of course not," said Ghetsis.

"Oh!" Colress's eyes widened and his phone nearly fell to the ground. He swiftly caught it, but his eyes remained fully open. "Well then! I would say, 'it has been a while,' but in reality I can't seem to escape you these days!" he said brightly.

"So you did interact with that version of me from the other world… excellent," Ghetsis was speaking softly—a rarity for him. "I—"

Colress inundated him with questions. "You're certainly speaking quietly tonight! Did defeat help you master your indoor voice?" Colress's curved smile transformed into an angular grin. "How is your unstable mental state? I suspected the rumor I heard that claimed you had become a vegetable was untrue, and I see was correct, as expected! Where have you been hiding for all this time? Oh, and my contact information has been public for quite a while—why have you suddenly called me now? I suppose it _is_ like you to interrupt me at the precise moment I'm conducting important research and everything has been proceeding without issue!" Suddenly, the moonlight playing on the water looked so interesting, and the contrast between the darkness and the light was quite impressive—he had failed to notice only moments before! It was very odd.

"After you betrayed my Team Plasma, why would I have rushed to contact you?" Ghetsis asked.

"'Betrayed?' How rude!" Colress noticed that Ghetsis had chosen not to respond to his other questions, and filed that information away for later use. "An accurate statement would be that I 'chose several different angles from which to study'—I'm always thorough in my research!"

Ghetsis let out a raspy sigh. "I should have had the Shadow Triad throw you off the Frigate when given the chance."

Colress giggled. "Oh, please. You don't have it in your nonexistent heart to do such a thing and you know it. But do not feel unproductive! You are very fortunate!"

"What do you mean? That I'm blessed to have you pester me once again?"

"Precisely! You see, my research into bringing out the potential of pokémon has been proceeding marvelously. This place now has little to offer me. Recent events have led me to believe that I would be better off studying other worlds and the potential they hold!"

"How terrifying. A demon like you ascending to some higher plane of existence? But on the subject of other worlds—I called you because I must ask—" Ghetsis coughed, which he muffled. "There's someone coming. You'll hear from me again soon." He hung up. Colress heard nothing but the grass moving in the wind and the distant waves.

"Oh, I'm certain I will!" Colress exclaimed to no one. Ghetsis had always been the perfect plaything—using someone like Lusamine to test Necrozma's reaction to fusion paled in comparison to using Ghetsis. Turning around, claiming to despise him, and making him a scapegoat was always exciting! Ghetsis was so hated, he could tell him anything and the information would never be believed by anyone else! Even better, he was powerful, ambitious, and interesting in his own right! Colress eagerly awaited his call. He pranced along the rocky outcroppings and his fingers twitched, as if he was typing in the air.


	2. Chapter 2

Although Colress had been elated when he went to bed, his sleep was fitful and unpleasant. He dreamed of floating pulses of many colors, including hues he had never seen! However, instead of being fascinated and excited by the unique phenomena, his heart beat fast. He turned away. The colors spread farther and closed in around him like two folding wings of a Swanna. Colress hid his face in his hands and tried to flee.

The ringing of his cell phone woke him up. He fumbled in bed and reached for the phone. Sunlight filtering in from his hotel room's balcony made his eyes hurt—surely that was what had caused his odd dream! He answered the call.

"As I tried to say before I was rudely interrupted, I have pressing questions for you," Ghetsis said.

Colress took his glasses from the nightstand. The lenses were dusted with sand from Blush Mountain. "How unkind of you to tell me you have pressing questions when this is my first time hearing from you in years!" Colress said, amused. "I suppose I must triangulate your position myself, if you refuse to inform me..."

Ghetsis breathed in. Colress expected him to huff in annoyance, but Ghetsis coughed instead. "I was expecting you to waste my time, and I see you haven't disappointed me." Ghetsis's voice sounded even raspier than it had been the night before. Highly curious.

"Marvelous! I hope to not only meet, but exceed your expectations!" Colress set the call to "speaker," which let him go about his morning routine as he talked. He went to the balcony and opened the curtains and the sliding glass doors. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, letting them adjust to the morning light. He anticipated the smell of salt and marine pokémon carried by the gentle sea breeze, and there it was as always.

"I'm being held against my will in an insane asylum in Unova," Ghetsis said.

Colress's eyes flew open. The sun on the waves momentarily stunned him. "W-Well then, I must inform you that the correct term is 'psychiatric hospital…' or are you attempting a 19th-century rest cure? You certainly sound like you have tuberculosis! Perhaps you belong in a sanatorium instead!"

Colress pictured Ghetsis rolling his eye. "The detergents they use here are so toxic… I am being poisoned out of 'kindness.' The other patients cannot detect it—their senses are all but gone!"

"Your environmental allergies are flaring up? Why, even mere compounds must despise you!" Colress paused to breathe on his glasses, fogging up the lenses. He wiped the sand from them with a little cloth. "Have you asked for an acceptable hypoallergenic alternative?"

"I've requested one many times over, but they always refuse me!" He added, more quietly, "It is useless."

"I see…" Colress checked his glasses. The lenses were still dirty, despite his best efforts. "Well then, I'm certain the Shadow Triad will break you out shortly!"

A slight crackling came through the speaker. Colress was about to check the state of the call when Ghetsis spoke again, "...I thought that someone so intelligent would know better than to leap to a conclusion. The Shadow Triad abandoned me months ago." No particular emotion tinged his words.

"I don't understand…" Colress ran through a series of potential scenarios in his mind, but could not make the pieces fit sensibly. "Surely that could only happen if… no, no... that's not possible." He began to pace. What was there still left to do in this cavernous hotel room before leaving to conduct further research? Suddenly, he realized he was not clean himself! What an obvious detail to forget—how embarrassing. "Well now, I'm certain you'll break yourself out shortly and painstakingly exact your revenge!" he said, returning to he sprightly tone he reserved for his rival.

"Why are you behaving like it can't possibly be true? Use that big head of yours. Life is a series of changes." Ghetsis huffed. "Your mercurial nature ought to have alerted you of that fact."

"Life may be a series of changes, but they were so set in their fanaticism—and 'mercurial?' I have not changed, even though it's been such a long time…" Colress walked out onto the balcony and rested on the guardrail, which was curved like the ocean waves he could see lapping at the shore of Brooklet Hill to the east. Closer to the Tide Song was Paniola Town, where Colress had given a Breeder a device he had developed to count the number of times wild pokémon called for help. He was using telemetry to see the data she was unknowingly collecting for him, but even those findings yielded no results. Although Alola was known for its friendly atmosphere—to the extent that wild pokémon assisted each other constantly—his research remained stunted. "...Although! Now that I think about it, I have reached even greater heights in my endeavors since we last spoke! Perhaps you are right, and I should not be so taken aback by this development!"

"Of course you've only become more successful since that time…" Ghetsis was obviously frustrated, but Colress could not determine whether or not this statement was intended to be sarcastic.

"Indeed, it was to be expected—thank you very much for the compliment!" Colress's angular grin returned. "Oh, how is your nonfuctioning arm?"

"In order to preserve the rest of my body, it had to be amputated soon after my defeat," Ghetsis said matter-of-factly.

"Ah, that is fortunate! It might have brought you down entirely had it been left unchecked."

"Myah-ha-ha-ha…" Ghetsis laughed softly. "How touching it is to see your deep care for me."

Colress gripped the guardrail and puffed out his cheek in exaggerated annoyance, though he knew Ghetsis could not see him. "W-What kind of scientist would I be if I allowed my prior star test subject to simply expire?"

"I'm your star? How sweet of you to say," Ghetsis said. "I was kind enough to answer your intrusive questions, and now you must answer mine in return. I would _sincerely_ appreciate your cooperation."

This cloying tone Colress recognized from Ghetsis's speeches. Thus, it was only fair to respond in kind! "Now, now, please be a gentleman and allow me to freshen up. You have been rather intrusive into my daily routine, you see. Call me again in the afternoon, please!" he said in a sing-song voice. "Next time, let me know that you're planning to speak to me so early in the day! It is only courteous."

"And is it only courteous to insist on making me wait for several hours just because your attention span is so dreadfully short...?"

Colress ignored the insult. "Calling me in several hours works for me. It's a date!" He burst into giggles as he hung up, cutting off Ghetsis's sputtering. He left the balcony and sat down at his room's little vanity. His hair was disheveled, but his eyes were wide with energy and he was grinning like an Alolan Meowth. Colress felt like he was looking not at himself, but some clone who had been socialized into unorthodox ways. Ghetsis would probably describe the situation as _unheimlich_. Colress quickly put on his calm smile and made sure his eyes were half-lidden before he left to wash.

* * *

In only an hour, Colress flew to Poni Grove, the Altar of the Moone, the Lake of the Sunne, and Paniola Ranch. He searched for the Ultra Recon Squad to no avail. But according to a Dancer in Ula'ula Meadow, a strangely-dressed person with blue hair like a waterfall had been wading through the flowers with a Furfrou in tow, wondering at being able to see such rich color for the first time. Colress waited through the Dancer's raving about the beauty of the pokémon's La Reine trim and learned that Lieutenant Soliera and her Captain had heard of the President's son's choice to train in Kanto and Johto and had followed suit. To Colress's confusion, he did not even have to put effort into smiling at that news. He would have predicted disappointment to well up in him! He recorded his odd response in his notes.

Humans, pokémon, and even extraterrestrials who were not pokémon were all so transient. It was so frustrating that his own research was only yielding the same results in contrast! Could there be an unknown factor—something aside from bonds and trust—that allowed for such progression and degradation? Something that he still lacked? No, no, that was impossible. Yet he remembered that image of Lillie trapped in those translucent, airy clothes that weighed her down and confined her. She was the perfect case study—that was it! He would measure her power! He flew to the Battle Tree, where only the strongest trainers, including himself, showed their mettle. When he had discussed Necrozma with Professor Kukui, he had boasted about the skill she showed at that facility. Yet Colress had not yet faced her—a perfect opportunity to record his first impressions!

He flew to the Battle Tree and walked down the path between the rows of flapping banners. The sun was directly above Alola now and the shadows were small and dense. He spotted the lustrous hair of Lillie immediately—there she stood in front of the rewards desk, in friendly conversation with none other than the Champion. Lillie was nodding and speaking effusively, her sunkissed ponytail whipping around. Colress quickly began hitting buttons on a PC, as if he were in the middle of creating a new roster of pokémon. He continually glanced over at Lillie, waiting for her to part ways with the Champion so that he could face her in isolation. But instead, she and the Champion began to walk away together, still chatting.

Colress had to act fast! He logged out of the PC and moved to block the only path that led away from the Battle Tree. "You there!" he called to them. "Miss Lillie and Moon, or should I say, Champion Moon? It is good to see you again."

"Mr. Colress! Hello!" Lillie's face lit up. "Thank you, thank you again for helping us stop Team Rocket!"

Moon smiled, her eyes obscured by her oversized sunglasses. She and Lillie ran up to meet Colress.

"I was glad to have such a unique opportunity." He turned to Lillie. "Miss Lillie, if it's not an inconvenience, may I ask for a favor in return? For one as energetic as yourself, it should be easy!"

Lillie and Moon shared a look. "And what might that be, Mr. Colress?"

"As you know, the theme of my research is, 'bringing out the potential of pokémon through trust and bonds.' Alola embodies my study, and I have been battling powerful trainers here in order to study their bonds with pokémon. And thus I wish to battle you and see you bring out the power of your pokémon!" Colress mirrored the children's smiles. "I am drawn to trainers with Z-Power Rings, for instance, and I see you have acquired one. You have surpassed everyone's expectations!"

"Of course!" Lillie said. "Moon, I'll make sure your pokémon don't get hurt." She and Moon reached for their pokémon.

"Stop." Colress took his left hand off his console and held it out instead. "Ah, that is to say, it is difficult to study the abilities of individual trainers in a Double Battle! I would like to battle you and you only, Miss Lillie! The Champion has already faced me in battle—and was quite impressive, I might add!"

"She is!" Lillie looked over at Moon and then back to Colress. "But… Mr. Colress… my pokémon are all fairy-type, and I'm more interested in healing than in battling…"

"Go for it!" said Moon. Her excitement was palpable, yet her poker face stayed on. "You've faced all your trials alone, so it's no different."

"I guess you're right…" Lillie's hands curled into fists. "I'll make sure to show you my full power, Mr. Colress! Come out, Ribombee!" She sent out her Ribombee, who performed a mid-air curtsy.

Colress looked past Ribombee and kept his eyes trained on Lillie. "Just as I expected! Your pokémon clearly has a higher Speed stat than other members of its species!" He recorded this data. Perfect! Lillie was his perfect subject! He sent out his Porygon-Z, who spasmed and twisted its head all the way around. "...I'll put my trust in you, Porygon-Z," Colress said as an afterthought. It was worth seeing a battle between Lillie and an opposing pokémon who did neutral damage to her own as a control test before he added additional stimulus.

"Use Light Screen!" Lillie said. Ribombee held out its arms and shimmering panels materialized in front of it.

Colress grinned in anticipation. "Tri-Attack, if you will." Porygon-Z summoned three spheres of different colors which whirled around its body. It shot them toward Ribombee, but the attack was dampened by the screen. Colress's training may have heightened Porygon-Z's Special Attack, but the move was not enough to knock out Ribombee, who shook but stayed airborne.

Lillie picked at the straps of her backpack. "Ah… Mr. Colress, is your Porygon-Z all right? It looks like it's panicking."

"She's right. I have a Porygon-Z, and it doesn't act that way," said Moon, who was standing behind Lillie and watching intently.

Colress's mouth opened slightly in dull surprise. "Oh? As Professor Kukui's assistant, you should know that Porygon-Z is a pokémon born of a glitched system. Every individual of the species behaves erratically—their behavior may be unique and unpredictable." Hoping they would refrain from halting the battle, he added: "I thank you for your concern, however!"

"That's what you say, and of course I studied it, but… the way it's looking at me..." Lillie was carefully watching Porygon-Z and its wide, spinning eyes.

"Be assured, I have been researching pokémon for many years. I know how to show them respect and love." Colress closed his eyes, striving to speak gently and not curtly.

"I'm sure you're right, Mr. Colress… oh! I almost forgot about our battle! Ribombee, use Reflect." Lillie nodded to Ribombee, who had been regarding Porygon-Z with searching, sparkling eyes—whether the refraction was from the noonday sun or fluid was unclear. However, one key detail _had_ been made apparent—Lillie suddenly showed her true colors as an unruly, inexperienced, and forgetful trainer. Colress felt his excitement fade rapidly.

After another uneventful turn, Lillie ordered Ribombee to attack with Pollen Puff. Ribombee brought out a glittering ball of pollen, so bright it looked radioactive. It pulled one arm back before hurling it at Porygon-Z. The ball exploded into yellow particles that scattered in the wind when it made contact. Porygon-Z kept shaking, and beeped in confusion. The move did not even do enough damage that using Recover was necessary, Colress noted. After a brief exchange of moves, Ribombee cried out and fell to the ground, unconscious. It was a frail pokémon despite Light Screen, and Porygon-Z's Ability boosted the power of its moves. It was an embarrassing display.

Lillie returned her pokémon and spoke to its Poké Ball. "I'm sorry, Ribombee. I'll heal you up as soon as I can." Her expression hardened. "Go, Clefairy!" She threw a Heal Ball and Clefairy fluttered onto the grass. It looked as determined as its trainer. "You know what to do." Lillie gave her pokémon a soft smile, and it nodded. She did not even specify which move it ought to use! She was so immature! Despite its trainer's incompetence, Clefairy moved closer to Porygon-Z and sang a few sweet notes that carried in the breeze. Porygon-Z stopped twitching and dozed off.

Colress held in a sigh and withdrew Porygon-Z and replaced it with Metagross. This battle was a waste of precious time—and imagine if it went on so long, Ghetsis called him in the middle of it! It would be interesting to use his coat to catch Lillie's and Moon's faces on camera were they to hear him pick up a call from the very man who struck Lillie down… unfortunately, that would be far more trouble than was worth instigating!

Lillie and Moon stared at Colress.

He had forgotten the battle himself! Perhaps Lillie's bad habits were catching? "Ah, Metagross, Mega Evolve and use Meteor Mash!" Metagross was consumed by rainbow-colored light and cried out as its body reconfigured itself. It turned back to Colress with the lights in its eyes blazing red, and Colress just cocked his head and smiled in reply. Mega Metagross, unable to refuse, targeted Clefairy. Blue stars flared from one of Mega Metagross's arms and it struck Clefairy with a hooked blow. The Reflect did nothing to shield it from the punch, which had been boosted by Tough Claws. Clefairy fell backward, flailing its arms and peeping loudly. It slipped into unconsciousness. Yet another disappointing result.

Lillie looked down and kneeled before Clefairy. She gently stroked the curl of fur on its head before withdrawing it. What was the purpose of such an action? Colress made sure to record it for later analysis.

"You know, Mr. Colress, I only have one other pokémon who can battle. I just recently became a trainer," Lillie said.

Only three pokémon?! How could he have thought Lillie was an ideal case study? "I see! That still works for me. Having many pokémon alone isn't what makes a pokémon trainer. It is showing care for the ones you do have, and you certainly excel in that area."

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Colress!" Lillie giggled bashfully. She sent out her final pokémon—a Comfey, a pokémon notorious for healing itself and others. Lillie revealed her Z-Ring and crossed one arm over the other while Comfey rocked back and forth. The ring and Comfey shone like green morning sunshine, and Comfey's arms were holding a bouquet of sparkles—it was preparing to use Z-Grassy Terrain, which would boost its Defense and draw out the battle even further!

This could not be allowed to continue! Colress's eyes looked hard as he grinned down at Mega Metagross. "Okay! Use Explosion!" Mega Metagross's eyes went dark. It fell to the ground and one after the other, beams of light shot from its metal shell, which vibrated so fast it sounded like it was roaring. The energy exploded and Comfey was consumed inside the blast radius. In an instant, both pokémon were knocked out cold. Colress was victorious, as expected.

As Lillie withdrew Comfey, Moon ran to her side. "You did your best, Lillie! I could see your full power," she said.

"Thank you, Moon. I know, but it's too bad that my pokémon had to get hurt. You and your pokémon never let that stop them, though, and I know it's all part of being a strong trainer." Lillie put her Poké Balls back into her Bag and re-tied its pure white bow. "But to be honest, Mr. Colress, wasn't using Explosion excessive? Your Metagross didn't have to faint at all!" Lillie's eyes were big and her brows were knit with concern, but she was not angry or petulant. Colress tailored his response based on this detail.

"Oh, Mega Metagross even uses Explosion in the wild when it preys on other pokémon. It is an instinct inherent to the species. There is no need to worry!" Colress said.

"I thought Mega Metagross only uses Explosion in the wild when it is desperate and there's nothing else it can do to win, Mr. Colress." Lillie's face took on a pinched look. It was time to bring this excursion to a close.

Colress nodded. "But if trainers believe in their pokémon, as I do, their pokémon partners give everything they have! That is what my Mega Metagross demonstrated." He turned away. "Thank you for facing me in battle today, Miss Lillie. You are a sharp, compassionate trainer with a bright future!" He walked away from the Battle Tree and heard Lillie and Moon talking with hushed voices, calling Colress "strange" and "eccentric." However, their tones of voice were light with amusement, which indicated that they had no harsh judgment reserved for him.

He passed the sign and walked across the wooden bridges. Waterfalls and streams rushed by underfoot. That battle had yielded no useful results despite Lillie's incredible transformation, and it was clear that she was nothing more than a novice. Yet Colress kept his head held high—he remembered that Ghetsis's defeat had set him on his path to test trainers and their belief in and bonds with their pokémon, and perhaps studying him would reveal a path ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

Route 3 was the ideal spot to take Ghetsis's call. The rumbling of the waterfall prevented anyone from overhearing their conversation, and Colress had noticed when he first scouted the Alolan islands, Route 1 and Kala'e Bay were both visible from the route's cliffs. He could observe the growth of novice trainers and their pokémon while getting information from Ghetsis simultaneously, and it could shed some light on Lillie's disappointing performance. Colress crossed the bridge that led away from Melemele Meadow and looked up to the brink of the waterfall as he did so—despite the afternoon sun, he could not spot a rainbow at any point along the water's plunge. Perhaps it was the wrong time of day, and the angle of light made the appearance of a rainbow impossible? Eventually, he reached a spot at the edge of a cliff that overlooked the bay, and he sat under a tree's shade.

After several minutes of assiduously typing up his morning notes and cataloguing the surroundings with no conclusions in sight, his phone rang. His smile deepened in relief. He answered the call. "You have become quite dutiful! I'm glad I can order you to do anything I wish!"

"And I'm glad to see you're still a nuisance," Ghetsis said. "Now, finally, you'll answer my questions…"

Colress pursed his lips. "How rude! Why should I answer when you're being so detestable right now?"

"Come now, _someone_ had to pick up the phone when I called." Ghetsis's air of smugness mixed with fondness was almost visible to Colress.

"Your argument is sound… for that someone finds it highly entertaining to listen to your antics as you embarrass yourself further!" Colress observed what looks like patches of pink glitter sprinkled over the water of Kala'e Bay. He recognized these dashes of color as Finneon schooling under the surface and signalling to each other. The sight of this phenomenon gave him an idea of what to research in the evening, when bioluminescence would be easier to perceive.

"Then I'll forgive you for these insults, considering how bored and indolent you've become," Ghetsis said. "Now, tell me all that you observed of that version of me from the other world." His voice deepened and became hoarse as he spoke the last words.

"Oh, it was highly amusing and interesting! I followed the Champion and daughter of the Aether President at a discrete distance using an invisibility device I recently invented, only revealing myself when that version of you had one of your signature breakdowns! He was screaming about being 'perfect' after the Champion defeated him… some things are constant everywhere, it seems." Colress giggled at the memory. "However, it became rather bothersome because his little outburst was holding up my study of the castle, so I had to assist the Champion and her friend and hurry them along. You should have seen your—that is, the other Ghetsis's—face after I shouted, 'I simply despise you, Ghetsis' and sent him back to his world with my incredible invention, the Colress Machine No. 1102!"

"Good, good…" Ghetsis grumbled. "Now, how was this Ghetsis able to carry out his plan? Why did his schemes succeed where mine failed? The news stated that each leader had achieved their goals." Ghetsis's breathing became more labored, and he was rushing through his sentences. "Was that inhuman freak present in his world as well? How did he take control of the dragon of legend? What were the results of his reign? I must learn from his technique so I can hone myself to perfection and right my wrongs! I must—" He broke into a coughing fit which caused the phone to spit static.

Colress had to hold the phone at a distance to avoid the terrible noise. He felt a strange tightness in—or a weight on—his chest, which he did not understand. The wind was refreshing and the sea air was pure. There was no explanation for it! He turned around to sit with his back to the cliff and watched the waterfall beyond the bridge until the phone went silent. He pulled it close again. "...W-Well then, I see you are still devoted to those desires of yours… you certainly aren't being convincing if you mean to demonstrate that everything changes…" It was difficult to return to his playful tone considering that odd weight inside of him. "In short, the leaders who were summoned to the castle appear to have succeeded in their respective worlds because the trainers who defeated them were not present. While the words of the Ghetsis from the other world that I recorded do not prove without a doubt that this was the case for him as well, it is reasonable to assume so. And yes, he did indeed mention a 'freak without a human heart.' However, each leader who was brought into this world was transported the instant they reached their goal, and thus it is impossible to know how that Ghetsis's 'reign' is proceeding."

Ghetsis's voice fell to just above a whisper. "What? Then there is nothing I can do to prevent my being caught completely off guard, and not even a perfect plan will ensure my victory…?"

"It-It is an alternate reality, Ghetsis… although I suppose you could reasonably conclude such a thing..." Colress was not certain why he was stammering. He corrected it and continued with confidence and energy. "...And I'm glad! How terrible it would be to see someone I detest so deeply triumph!"

Ghetsis stifled another cough. "...You can say whatever you want, but it's obvious that you don't hate me. How did you manage to convince Alola's Champion and her friend that you did?"

"How rude of you to doubt my pure and true feelings!" Colress stood up and stretched his back. The shadow of the tree he was resting under had grown long, and the sunny spots were tinged with gold.

"How rude of you to constantly tell me, 'how rude.'" Ghetsis said, amused. "There is nothing true about you, Colress."

Colress theatrically stood with one arm akimbo and puffed out his cheeks, a show he knew Ghetsis could not see yet could not resist putting on! "How r-unkind of you to say so! But if you must know how I did it, I simply positioned them behind me so that only my target could see my expression, of course!" The tightness in his chest mysteriously vanished, which he made note of. "Oh, and you only doubt the truth of me, and not my purity? Tell me, what do you see as _pure_ about me?"

Ghetsis laughed quietly. "Myah-ha-ha… why, you are _purely_ immature!"

Colress made a high-pitched sound and barely resisted the urge to tell his rival how rude he was! "So let me ask you! Do you still have pressing questions for me, or do you simply desire to be abhorable?" Something that stood out from the grey slate of the cliffs caught his eye—near the brink of the waterfall was its usual rainbow. The water droplets must have finally been properly illuminated.

"Of course," Ghetsis said. "I would ask you the same, but it doesn't matter. You'll invent scores of them for me to answer, if only because you'll yearn for my voice."

"Oh, please… I would dive into the rushing waterfall that lies in front of me in order to escape it!" Colress felt his smile reach his nose and eyes. He walked toward the rainbow—paradoxically, it appeared to become richer in color the closer he came and did not vanish. Above the rainbow and the brink of the waterfall, he could see the top of a fluffy, white bank of clouds floating against that bluest sky. "In fact, I must be off! Until night falls, I'll be preparing the proper equipment for research into something very interesting that may inform my plan to travel to other worlds!"

"My word, is the great Colress so desperate for research material that he has to leave this plane of reality entirely?" Ghetsis said. In a slightly weightier tone, he added, "You've barely scratched the surface of possibilities here, Colress. Don't go running off to the next world when you're barely accustomed to living in this one."

Colress stopped in the middle of the bridge. "Stop. Don't patronize me. Alola is full of life! Life that is very, very interesting! Why, it's highly unfortunate for you that you can't see it for yourself!" He used his free arm to gesture to the vista that lay before him. "And of course I know there are many questions left unanswered regarding this world—in fact, one of those questions is what I will be studying tonight." It was odd—the teasing note in his voice had disappeared. He willed it back. "But-But I am getting ahead of myself… call me back later today, and I'll lord my knowledge over you as much as you'd like!"

"Go on then, I'm very curious," Ghetsis said, singsong. He hung up.

Colress kept his head down, a rarity for him. His mouth twitched. He barely registered the young trainers and pokémon bustling around him in the grass and on the very path he walked. Ghetsis was so frustrating! Yet at the same time, it did make him quite fun—he was never dull or tiresome, and that night, Colress would prove to him the extent of his mastery over this world's phenomena. How amusing it would be to hear his embarrassed voice! Colress looked back up at the thought, excited for what was to come.

* * *

The waves gently rolled in on the rocky shore of Route 7. Colress stood facing a small, dark island, carefully monitoring red glimmers of light that occasionally flickered in the sea and sorting them from the more common pink lights of Finneon. Farther out, there was an occasional burst of light that alternated between each color of the rainbow. Colress was also watching the silhouette of his Beheeyem, who he had sent out, who was levitating just high enough above the water to avoid being drowned by the larger waves as they approached the shore. The radiating heat of Wela Volcano was at Coless's back, but with his temperature-controlled console on, he could only feel its touch on his ears and hair. Although the waning moon was slowly rising, stars were faintly visible in the indigo sky, making it an ideal night to conduct such a study!

And like clockwork, his phone rang and he answered it. "I've been waiting for you! After I thought about how to rub the proof of my scientific achievement in your face, I realized something. It's possible you've seen a photo of me on the news, and if so, you may have noticed my specially-designed Achromatic Wearable Console!"

"Achromatic Wearable Console…? That's what makes you look even more like an automaton than you did before, I take it?" Ghetsis asked.

"Yes!" Colress exclaimed, pleased as a Purrloin. "I'll tell you a secret—I installed cameras in its gloves. Tell me, do you have access to a PC? I could email you proof of my worldliness. My achievement would become evident to you immediately!"

"Email me…?" Ghetsis trailed off.

Colress noticed a red flicker below the waves, in the crevice of a craggy black rock. Colress waved to his Beheeyem, who turned around hesitantly, its neon, visor-like eyes standing out against the darkness. Its fingers were flashing, and though they glowed red, green, and yellow, it was cycling between colors so quickly, the light appeared pure white.

Ghetsis was taking a rather long time to answer, so it was only fair for Colress to prod him into action. "Your mental faculties… do they need to be sharpened? You must truly need to learn of my study!"

"...Must you be such a pest? I have simply been thinking of how to prevent this conversation from being overheard—it's a difficult task, considering your constant shouting," Ghetsis said. "Now, to answer your question, I am speaking to you from a PC at this very moment. This asylum has a small library, which rarely sees use. Calling from a PC grants more privacy than calling by phone, you see. Very well, you may email me 'proof' of your 'worldliness.' I'll enjoy refuting your delusions."

Colress giggled. "Then allow me to inform you of the subject of my research!" He called out to Beheeyem, "Beheeyem, dive below the waves and remove it, please!"

Beheeyem put its arms to its sides and shot itself into the ocean. An underwater clash between red and green ensued—the lights swirled around each other like an Illumise and a Volbeat during a mating dance. After a few seconds, Beheeyem emerged with a splash. It looked quite waterlogged as it lifted a Staryu out of the water using its psychic powers.

Colress signaled to Beheeyem, indicating that it should bring the pokémon close. After it complied, Colress took out a metal tag—a miniature radiation meter. With great force and assisted by Beheeyem, who smelled of salt, he implanted it into the hard golden area that surrounded Staryu's ruby core. He could not simply attach the device to an arm—the pokémon could regenerate its arms and the meter could be lost. After the procedure was complete, Colress took a photo using his console and emailed Ghetsis the image. He used the most obnoxiously bright, rainbow-colored, geometric stationary as the backdrop. He reserved only the best treatment for his longtime rival! Colress nodded to Beheeyem, who promptly threw Staryu back.

Ghetsis made a rough-sounding, indignant noise, reacting to the stationary, no doubt! "Well now, what do we have here? More of your playing with pokémon because you're too afraid to look inward? Why, even the water in this picture is shallow."

"Shallow?! Excuse me, but this experiment may allow me to reach even greater heights as both a scientist and trainer!" Colress stood up even taller than usual. "Not only does it center on Staryu and Starmie, pokémon I have always longed to train, it involves recording and decoding the mysterious radio signals the pokémon send into outer space!"

"Could it be this experiment was inspired by the fact that I'm your star…?" Colress could imagine the smirk that accompanied Ghetsis's words.

"I see you have forgotten that you are merely my _prior_ star test subject, Ghetsis…" Colress let out a curt little sigh. "That aside, imagine the potential outcomes of this study of mine! Not only will this grant more insight into the thoughts of pokémon—and these are pokémon far more intelligent than that Rotom-Dex, which never should have been connected to a dedicated speech device—it may allow me to better understand the behaviors of extraterrestrial pokémon! Pokémon from other worlds!" Colress reached for the stars. "Oh, they must be fascinating! Incredibly fascinating! Ah, and I may even learn from Staryu and Starmie how to achieve interdimensional and space travel without the assistance of anyone else—what freedom! There could be endless possibilities! I'm more psyched than I've ever been!"

"Colress...?"

"The boundaries and tedium of this world are quite a pain. I don't want to be bound to it any longer. I've already exhausted all available methods of bringing out the full potential of pokémon, and Ultra Beasts are disappointingly familiar. But now I can see with my own eyes the doors to different worlds entirely!" Colress was shouting, his voice echoing against the volcanic rock flows. "I will surpass human understanding! All the untapped knowledge the universe—no, the multiverse—has to offer, I will possess and control—I see so many paths I've never known opening up just for me, and—"

A loud tapping came from the phone. Ghetsis was hitting something made of a hard material, likely the PC's shell. "Colress, where are you?" He asked, soft but firm. "Where are you standing right now?"

"Wh-What?!" Colress froze. The deep blue sky and sea seemed to be melting together. "I-I… I'm in—I'm standing on—on the sandy sh-shore of Route 7..." he stammered.

"Then you can still make good use of your senses," Ghetsis said. "Next time, speak more quietly. I don't want to be discovered due to your manic yelling."

Colress want about to protest when he felt his ankles grow cold and wet. He took a few steps back—he had wandered into the surf without having noticed! "I-I am not manic… I'm enthusiastic…"

"That is a convenient lie, and we both know it. But I understand your embarrassment… it must be too hard for you accept that I don't want you get hurt for no reason. In fact, I probably stopped you right before you threw your phone into the sea."

Colress noticed that his Beheeyem was staring at him, undoubtedly amused, and he glared back at it. How rude his pokémon had been as of late—perhaps he needed to use a firmer hand. "Don't sound so pleased, Ghetsis… you've forgotten which one of us walks free and which one has been committed!" Colress pulled up the bottom of his Achromatic Wearable Console, which was mostly dry. It had been a near disaster—his console was electronic, and if saltwater had seeped into its components… the potential crisis had been averted, thanks to Ghetsis.

"Shut up." Ghetsis's voice devolved into a growl. "You'll end up in an asylum of your making one of these days."

Colress prepared a retort when he noticed a figure in his peripheral vision. He turned slowly, and there was Moon in front of him! She was looking to the waves. She noticed Beheeyem, and then came Colress's way. "Ah…" Colress said to Ghetsis, "Excuse me for leaving you hanging, but the Champion herself has made an appearance. I look forward to continuing our good-natured discussion tomorrow!" Colress hung up before Moon could hear Ghetsis's voice come through the speaker.

"Hello, Colress! You look happy." Moon looked up at Colress. Apparently, she still wore her blue sunglasses at night. Interesting. "Who was that?"

Colress realized that his expression was not as neutral as it should have been, so he took a deep breath and tried to smile shallowly and calmly. "Oh, I was speaking to an old friend." He considered whether or not it was advisable to describe his research to Moon, and decided that she should know of the subject, but not the methods. "...I am currently looking into the radio signals that Staryu and Starmie send into space. It could allow me to better understand how to bring out the full potential of extraterrestrial pokémon!"

Moon sat down on the sand and leaned against the tall volcanic rock face, which was pleasantly warm due to geologic activity. She looked from the flashing cores under the sea to the faint stars, which were being drowned out by the moon. "Do you think they get lonely?"

"Excuse me?"

"They're communicating with friends that are far away, up in space," said Moon. "Are they sad?" Her sunglasses reflected the moonlight, making her expression even more inscrutable than usual.

Colress was silent, but his smile still stayed on. His hand was resting on his console, but there was nothing to type.

"Wait… that's why you're trying to figure out what they're saying, in the first place! So we can understand how they feel."

"Exactly."

Moon pushed herself off the ground and brushed the sand off her clothes. "I'm looking for Staryu and Starmie too, actually. I want to find a Shiny one to give Lillie as a present! She's great at understanding how her pokémon feel."

Colress closed his eyes. Somehow, even though his eyelids completely obscured its light, he could feel the cool energy from the moon beaming down on him. "Yes, I noticed her remarkable empathy during our battle." He paused. "Oh, did you know that Shiny pokémon, though rare, have no more potential than regularly-colored pokémon? In fact, their unique coloration often causes them to be more visible to predators. In the wild, their performance is often inadequate for their survival."

"That's too bad, Colress… thanks for letting me know," said Moon. "They really need to be loved!" Her smile grew even wider. "I'll let you know if I find a Shiny one! Bye!" She rushed off into the waves and called upon a Lapras with her Ride Pager. She leaped onto its back and they rode off together toward the island, leaving a wake of gentle whitewater.

Colress was left to continue searching for new lights. He had to take in his surroundings with fresh eyes, and as he did so, he realized that the juxtaposition of the moon, stars, and bioluminescence was admittedly beautiful. Perhaps Ghetsis was correct—there were many loose ends left to deal with in this world in which he had always resided.

* * *

Colress woke up early the next morning and after making the necessary preparations, flew to the dilapidated Thrifty Megamart. Travelling there bright and early meant that he would be fully-prepared for Ghetsis's call—but that was merely a bonus! The main reason was that it made encountering Trial Captain Acerola or Kahuna Nanu highly improbable—Colress had observed Alola's strongest trainers and discovered that those two rarely set out before late afternoon. While he had completed Acerola's trial, and quite easily at that, which meant he had her permission to capture pokémon in the area, a member of the Elite Four or an officer of the law taking notice of his unique research methods could prove troublesome. Colress had, while invisible, overheard conversations that suggested Nanu even had connections to the incompetent INTERPOL who once targeted the Seven Sages.

It would have been a hassle for the guard at the trial gate to spot him and offhandedly mention to Acerola or Nanu that he was inside, so instead of approaching the Thrifty Megamart from the front, he approached from the side. Murkow squawked and fled, shedding dark feathers, as Colress walked by. He reached a chain link fence. While his Colress Machine No. 1102 could be used to transport him to another dimension where the fence did not exist, allowing him to switch different realities and pass through it, that was far too risky an endeavor, and he wanted to remain firmly in this world until he has experienced all its potential. Instead, he sent out Magnezone and sat down on it. As it lifted him over the fence, its magnets spun wildly and its eyes bulged. Fortunately, stressing a Magnezone only increases its electrostatic potential! Once he rode it to the door, he withdrew it and planted his feet on the ground and entered the shadows, carefully avoiding the edges of the building's shattered windows.

After a soul-crushing thirty minutes of hunting for his target pokémon and discarding the ghost-types that hounded him, Colress perked up at the sound of his phone ringing and answered the call with glee. This happiness stemmed from his boredom—it was not that he had been waiting for Ghetsis! Why, those thirty minutes had felt like hours, and anything that could cut into the tedious search was a relief. He and Ghetsis soon fell into their usual back-and-forth.

"So you want to train a Klefki? Have you embraced your short attention span and realized you can make it jingle its keys in front of your face to keep you entertained?" asked Ghetsis.

"I wouldn't be so detestable if I were in your place! After all, I could make Klefki set Spikes under your feet!" Colress grinned. Somehow, despite the cracked floor that was littered with trash and the torn posters barely clinging to the walls, the atmosphere did not seem so gloomy. "But the ghost-type pokémon that reside here are highly immature…" he went on to describe how hordes of Shuppet continually descended from the building's eaves, blocking his view, and how all the ghost-types gave his body chills despite his temperature-controlled coat. "And to clinch their childishness, they've caused the display on my console to read, 'get out, you monster' in capital letters!" Colress pouted as he attempted to bat one of the many Shuppet away, which failed as his arm simply went through it. "Were either of your Cofagrigus this prone to misbehaving?"

"No, they were both obedient, you monster… and Shuppet feed off of malice. Perhaps they sense your inner evil," Ghetsis said affectionately. "Once you spur Yamask into being rid of all the pathetic sorrow that holds it back, it becomes a slavish enforcer dedicated only to retribution and sealing away the enemy… it's a shame that my pokémon were taken away… Cofagrigus was an especially useful tool," Ghetsis's voice sounded wistful—almost melodic, as if he was recounting some epic. "No matter."

"Certainly not. They must be attracted to your voice, as you are the monster here!" Colress refrained from mentioning that the Shuppet had begun to swarm before Ghetsis called—he could not pass up the opportunity for an insult! Colress sent out his Alolan Muk and ordered it to use Snarl on the Shuppet. The deep yell caused the pokémon to scatter like scraps of paper caught in a gale. "I see…" said Colress. "I believe that for a trainer such as yourself, who already lost his entire team once before, it will be easy to capture and train another specimen!"

Ghetsis coughed.

A silver flash in the distance that quickly disappeared behind an old conveyor belt caught Colress's eye. He moved to track it. "Oh, you mentioned a Yamask carrying sorrow? Then you can no longer deny the existence of pokémon's emotions and thoughts!"

"I have no idea what you mean. I always knew that pokémon could feel and think."

Colress crouched down beside the broken-down belt. Unfortunately, there was not a trace. "Well then, pardon me for being more inclined to believe the account of the trainer who had the strength to defeat you than I am to believe your words. I distinctly remember learning that you shouted the impossibility of such a thing."

"You of all people must know there were many things that I didn't believe and simply said to manipulate others."

"Oh, please…" Colress stood back up. His Alolan Muk slinked across the floor, shoveling garbage into its gaping mouth as it moved.

"...Though when I informed the public that Poké Balls forced pokémon to do the bidding of their trainers no matter what, that was in fact the truth. Colress, can you answer a question I've always had about this process?" Ghetsis asked.

Colress looked to the side, and saw the silvery glint once again. This time, it sped into a back room that had escaped his attention until that very instant. Colress inwardly cheered—it had foolishly trapped itself! "Of course! I am the expert on such things!"

As Colress came closer to the shadowy back room, the connection grew worse and worse. "If a pokémon was unable to successfully execute its master's orders no matter how hard it tried... what would become of it?" He had to strain to hear Ghetsis's voice, which was masked by static. "Being under a trainer's control, it wouldn't ever be able to resist or make its own choices. But being defective and lacking... it also wouldn't be able to follow orders…"

Colress stopped before the door to give his answer, fearing the call would cut out entirely. "An interesting question!" He peered into the dark as he spoke. He could not see anything from the outside. "A pokémon like that would probably be extremely weak, perhaps by nature. If it even failed to be a quaint trophy, then certainly no trainer would want it, correct? That pokémon would likely be released, but would be so incompetent and feeble that it would be immediately killed. The other possibility is that its trainer would keep it, but would stow it away in a PC box, where it would be forgotten and would slowly degrade, imprisoned indefinitely until it or its trainer died. Does this adequately answer your question?" He slipped into the room. There was a Klefki, hovering close to the floor! It looked up at him with its hollow eyes.

Colress could barely hear Ghetsis's single-word reply over all the noise. "Yes."

"I'm glad to hear it!" said Colress, making sure to block the Klefki's only way out. Klefki shook as Colress held out his hand and took a photo. He sent the photo to Ghetsis, this time using a sickenly pink background with Klefki stationary—it felt like the right thing to do, though the reasoning escaped him.

Crackling came over the speaker, only allowing Colress to catch snippets of Ghetsis's sentences. "Colress, did you—the photo—before you sent it—clearly not—" The line went dead.

Colress brought up the photo on his console's screen. "Oh!" he exclaimed. It showed the giant totem Mimikyu, its aura erupting outward! As soon as Colress looked up, he saw the Mimikyu sitting on the floor—the Klefki had been an illusion, and the totem had chosen to waste Colress's time. Did it have nothing else to do? It did seem rather pathetic—after all, it was not even two-feet tall, despite its totem status. It cried loudly, and the sharp noise echoed and hurt Colress's ears.

Colress took a step back. He gestured to Alolan Muk, who was being a pest in its own right by lagging behind. "Please use Belch on the totem," said Colress.

Alolan Muk just sat there. Mimikyu used Slash and Colress darted behind his pokémon so the move just missed him. He could feel the displaced air from the attack!

"You have eaten enough garbage to use that move even if you have not eaten that berry I gave to you!" Colress snapped at his Alolan Muk. "You are an unkind pokémon."

Alolan Muk opened its mouth wide and forced itself to cough up toxic waste, which splattered over the totem. The Mimikyu let out a strangled cry as its disguise was soaked with poison, until it crumpled and lay in a wet heap on the floor. The totem vanished from sight, leaving its disguise melting in the disgusting puddle.

Colress withdrew his pokémon and left the back room, which disappeared as soon as he left—another childish ghost trick. He worried that he would never find a Klefki with so many distractions, but then noticed the Shuppet were now fleeing from him. How interesting!

Ghetsis became audible again. "I heard the most repulsive noises. What happened with that strange Mimikyu?"

"Oh, I defeated it with ease by using a super-effective move," said Colress. "A pokémon, even if it's revered as a totem, is still just a pokémon."


	4. Chapter 4

Colress was sitting at the round desk that stood on the balcony of his hotel room. The sun was just beginning to set, its light a soft peach. After Colress's second triumph over the totem pokémon, his search for Klefki had proceeded with ease. He had soon cornered a Klefki—however, one of his Colress Machines, a portable IV judging device—informed him that the individual had below-average potential. Fortunately, after using an Adrenaline Orb, he frightened it and let it call for help until he found one with far greater latent potential! Once he returned to his hotel, he had sent out his newly-captured Klefki, who was currently lying prone on the wooden surface of the desk. Its eyes were thin slits now—its energy had been sapped. Klefki thrived on metal ions, so Colress simply had to monitor its reaction to a stream of positive ones! But it had overwhelmed it even though this Klefki clearly held more potential than other members of its species. An interesting result! Colress had placed his phone face-up on the desk so he could speak to Ghetsis while he typing up his notes on Klekfi physiology.

"My good luck knows no bounds!" Colress said. What a shame Ghetsis could not watch him preen! "Why, the Klefki I caught during my expedition is even Shiny, and its shiny form is electric blue and gold—it even matches my color scheme. Oh, and I won't mention the way its adorable appearance mirrors mine, as that would be boastful… I'll leave that for you to point out."

"If you were a Shiny pokémon, Klefki would be a likely species for you to be. That much, I can agree with," Ghetsis said. "After all, what could be more fitting for you than an annoying thief?"

Colress's fingers flitted across his on-screen keyboard like the fast-beating wings of a Beautifly. "I see! Then you should know that if you were to be a Shiny pokémon, you would be a Mismagius, because it is accursed and its voice causes headaches!"

Instead of arguing with him, Ghetsis let out a low laugh. Colress's smile deepened for reasons he could not grasp as the sea breeze caressed his face. But he rejected the thought of analyzing this phenomenon—not that it was overwhelming! It was simply a distraction from his important research. "That-That aside, if I were a pokémon, I would be genderless! So a Klefki can be ruled out."

"And your hair and eyes are not gold, but a yellowish-chartreuse…" Ghetsis mused. "I presume that your desire to be genderless comes from a wish to be robotic?"

"As wonderful as becoming robotic would be—excuse me, what did you say about my hair and eyes?" Colress blinked in dull surprise.

"What's this? Have you never used a mirror?"

"I know what my own body looks like and I'm quite proud of it! The question is, how did you happen to notice such details?" Colress asked. He brought his hand down to the desk, punctuating his words. "I've received many compliments over the years, and have heard people admire my 'golden eyes' or 'blond hair!'" His pulse quickened even though his surroundings were absolutely calm and nothing stressful was occurring. In fact, the pools of Brooklet Hill reflecting the yellow sun looked like little jewels set into the landscape.

"What kind of leader would I be if I couldn't notice such obvious details?" Ghetsis asked.

"But you—you're not a leader currently!" he stammered. He looked down at Klefki and watched its ring sparkling in the afternoon sun. Its eyes were slightly wider—it was teetering on the brink of waking up.

"Well now, you're certainly flustered over nothing?" It sounded more like a question than a statement. Ghetsis did not appear to understand Colress's state any better than he did himself. "No matter. I'll let you continue your previous train of thought."

He seized the opportunity to put these fluttery feelings behind him. "...Ah, as I was saying—as wonderful as becoming robotic would be, that is not my reasoning. It is because I am already agender!"

It took Ghetsis a few seconds to respond. "'Without gender?' You're saying that you're already like a genderless pokémon…?"

"Do you not understand? Allow me to inform you!" Colress exclaimed. His voice was rather genuine and far less patronizing than he had intended! "What we refer to as pokémon 'genders' are, in fact, more akin to sexes! I am male, and thus unlike a genderless pokémon. I am, however, agender, for I do not identify myself with a gender—after all, gender is simply a flawed categorizing system invented by human beings that serves to oppress in the name of culture! I refuse to label myself with something fake!"

Ghetsis took time to think this over. "I see… that does sound like a perfect fit for you and your eccentricity," he mused. "...If this is the truth, why is it you've allowed everyone to refer to you as a man exclusively?"

"Oh, but not exclusively! Do you not remember that party we attended in which I wore a couture grey dress made of the finest sheer fabric that moved smoothly as emulsion? The other guests assumed I was a woman, and I did not correct them. I may be agender, but why would I go out of my way to correct others' incorrect beliefs when they cause them to be agreeable?" Colress smirked and leaned over the desk, resting his head against his console to bathe in the sunlight. It was not too hot or too warm, but a perfect balance!

"...That party in which you continually shook your head in order to shine the light refracting in your prismatic earrings right into my eye? Please forgive my forgetfulness," Ghetsis grumbled.

Colress's chest shook as he giggled at the memory. "Indeed, the fun we have knows no bounds—!" He tried to speak, but could not hold back his glee! He mewled and resumed his giggling!

Ghetsis made a surprised sound that he quickly stifled. He stayed silent throughout the rest of Colress's giggle fit. Only after it had ended, did he ask, his voice wavering slightly, "Then why—if those assumptions are such a help to you, why are you… telling me the truth?"

"Oh! I am…" Colress trailed off and slowly looked up. Why _was_ he informing Ghetsis? It was not particularly amusing to do so, nor was it necessary. It was also not a widely-known fact—why, Colress had only told—he had not told anyone that he was agender. There had been no reason to tell anyone, as it might have been an inconvenience. In addition, Colress did not crave validation, as he had always been splendidly self-assured! No justification for his telling Ghetsis came to mind, but he could never admit being caught unawares. How unbecoming that would be! Instead, he chose an old excuse. "...That is, it is amusing to tell you secrets about myself... you are detestable enough that no one would believe you were you to share the information!"

Ghetsis sighed like a tired Bouffalant. "Of course… there was no need for me to ask. But you are being rather hypocritical. You claim that you won't label yourself with something fake, yet you allow anyone's assumptions to go unchecked? Tell me, what do you wish to be called, Colress?"

"What are you—What do you mean by that?" Colress felt off-balance, as if he had been hit by Sweet Kiss.

"I know that you've been listening intently to me. You know that it's useless to act coy, don't you? I asked you what _you_ wish to be called."

"D-Do not flatter yourself! You are not the most interesting of my subjects!" Colress huffed. His fingers fluttered against his console, though there was nothing to record. "...To me, pronouns make no difference. 'She,' 'he,' 'they,' or 'it,' I will accept. As for other form of address, I am a person, certainly not a man or a woman. With that in mind, everything else becomes clear." He felt heat rise in his cheeks—was the thermostat of his console not set correctly? He checked, and it still displayed a comfortably cool setting. Perhaps it was the lack of sarcasm causing him to feel awkward. Fortunately, that problem had a simple solution. "Ah, and you must address me as, 'greatest and most brilliant of researchers and beloved winner of all debates!'"

"I appreciate your response and will take all you've said into careful consideration..." Ghetsis said, using the sugary tone he reserved for his speeches, "...aside from the last sentence you spoke. You must not be the most interesting of people as well, for I completely failed to hear it."

Colress giggled again. "And I went to all the trouble of listing my desires for you… how abhorable!" Klefki shook itself awake at the sound of his voice and began floating up to the sky. "Oh, my Klefki has awakened! I must run a few more tests before I set out again! I'll speak to you again shortly." He hung up and withdrew his pokémon, which returned to its Poké Ball with a puff of Shiny sparkles.

* * *

Colress's Metagross strained under its trainer's weight as it toiled up the peak up Mount Lanakila, trudging through deep snow. The snowflakes that streaked by like comets struck the lenses of Colress's glasses and lodged themselves in his hair, but Colress did not falter—his Achromatic Wearable Console, with its internal heater and thick, tall collar, shielded him from discomfort. He was scaling the mountain because he had heard rumors that its giant crystal structure, which stood exposed to the elements, might possess the same qualities as Anistar City's Sundial. Colress's journey throughout Kalos had disappointed him, but considering Alola's history with Necrozma and Z-Power, perhaps its version of the Sundial could be imbued with celestial power! He could see the fiery blue crystal structure now as it jut into the churning clouds hanging in the oppressive slate sky.

He dismounted Metagross once they were a few feet from the formation. Colress decided to keep Metagross at the ready, for he had interviewed the construction workers who worked on the Pokémon League and had discovered the peak was sacred land. It was possible that Colress's methods would be deemed unacceptable, so he had decided to utilize his research into the islands guardians. Tapu Bulu, the guardian of Ula'ula Island, while often idle, could be brutal. It was even known to bind its enemies with vines, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and gore them. Fortunately, each Tapu was part fairy-type and would be easy for Colress to neutralize, even if any of them were witless enough to label him a blasphemer!

As expected, Ghetsis called and Colress picked up. They exchanged their first few barbs and Colress approached the crystal. He watched his smile widen, his entire body reflected in the many facets.

"I still can't believe your suggestion that I'm bored when you're the one who keeps calling me! I believe you need a new hobby, Ghetsis!" said Colress. "You could easily be a human chess piece, or the little tower that lies anterior to a castle…" It was unwise to attempt to break off a piece of the formation, for that would likely lead to immediate retaliation. Instead, he pulled out his portable spectrophotometer and keyed it to the resonant frequency.

"The term is 'bastion,' Colress," Ghetsis said, amused. "But no matter what, it wouldn't do at all for me to stand still when I must execute my plans."

Colress puffed out his cheek. "Pursue art history. You've already begun pompously correcting others!" The formation did not demonstrate any unusual properties. It appeared more similar to an Ice Stone than the Anistar City Sundial. "You already studied it in college," he added, a bit more seriously.

"That cannot be allowed," Ghetsis said, his voice suddenly rough and grave. "In order to rule the hearts and minds of the populace and attain perfection, I must throw away anything I don't need. Leisure will not assist me in my plans of complete and total domination." He let out a cough, dry and broken.

"Oh, I should have predicted such a response. You're still dedicated to those ambitions of yours!" Colress put the spectrophotometer away. He felt compelled to reach out and touch the crystal. Even though he had his thick gloves on, it felt deathly cold. He had concluded many years ago that much of Ghetsis's power arose from his ambition. He and Ghetsis were quite similar in their desire to reach the highest heights possible and break all those frustrating attachments that dragged others down.

"Of course I am still dedicated to my schemes. I have been thinking long and hard about them every day…" Ghetsis trailed off, his voice fading to a murmur.

Colress withdrew Metagross and decided to fly away from the mountain. He could not return to the hotel while he was talking to Ghetsis, so he had to find another place to land. He circled through the air, searching for something interesting. His thoughts drifted back to Ghetsis's desires. Of course, Colress had researched Ghetsis's family history, and it also played a part in Ghetsis's plans. About three thousand years ago, the Harmonia family ruled Unova. The Harmonia king was strong, brave and could communicate with any being! The Twin Heroes were his descendents, and the ancient Unovan civilization reached its peak under their guidance. While Ghetsis's close association with ancient history and his obsession with "perfection" was ridiculous in Colress's eyes, he could understand it driving him to rule his subjects with perfect control, while keeping his pokémon tied to him by their bonds. Colress strived for the same—conducting experiments would be much simpler if he could have such power over subjects of his own!

Colress decided to land in Ula'ula Meadow. Perhaps in this dark night, he would stumble upon an interesting phenomenon at the Lake of the Sunne. When he touched down on the boardwalk, everything turned black. The trees blocked out what little light was reflected off the grey clouds overhead. In this darkness, the crimson flowers appeared the color of deoxygenated blood, and the cries of Ribombee and Oricorio were absent. Colress used the lights of his console and cell phone to illuminate the path.

"It sounds like you've become fixated on something 'interesting' once again… you've been uncharacteristically quiet," said Ghetsis.

"Oh?" Colress was shaken from his musings. "Now, now, I only wanted to run a few tests in peace without your rude interruptions!" The path opened onto the lake. The water looked like ink, and was currently stagnant. He proceeded to the stone archway.

"And what are you testing? My patience?" asked Ghetsis.

"It is only just to do so! You are always testing mine!"

"Ah, of course. I do love to bear witness to this testiness of yours." Ghetsis's voice was softer than ever before.

Colress felt his face warm as he walked over the stonework. Was it the stuffy air inside the archway? After several minutes of walking, he left the passage and reached the temple grounds. The Lake of the Sunne vast, and even though it had fallen into disuse centuries ago, its landscaping reminded Colress of the picturesque gardens he had visited in Kalos. The main path circled the circumference of the ritual platform, and each of the other paths branched out like the winds of a compass.

Colress had no reason to pay the center of the ruins a visit. Instead, he climbed over some old stonework that had been displaced and took one of the branching paths. He reached a wall—each of its quarried blocks was precisely cut, which allowed it to survive for so many years. Colress could just barely peer over it. As he predicted, he spied an Ultra Wormhole beneath the temple!

Ghetsis finally spoke again, his voice still gentle. "Colress, I still have one more pressing question for you. And after I've listened to you air your grievances, it's only right for you to answer."

Colress pressed his phone to his ear while he observed the wormhole. "What is your question? I'm curious!"

"The Ghetsis from the other world, whose plans succeeded… was this alternate version of me delighted to have finally become the ruler of Unova?" asked Ghetsis. "Was he… happy?"

"Happy?" Colress mentally played back his interaction with the other Ghetsis and thought it over. "I wouldn't say so... he still seemed quite stressed. And how fortunate! Even with an infinite number of timelines, I would have thought it impossible that there exists a universe in which you won—for that Ghetsis to be happy in addition to that would be too terrible!"

"...Then even after becoming King and meeting all expectations, I still couldn't feel happiness."

"Oh, don't give in to despair, Ghetsis! Even if you can't become king, you still have amazing potential. And-And I never misjudge anyone's potential… which is why you need a hobby." Colress felt his face flush once again, and tried to dispel the feeling. "Eventually, your many possible careers will become evident to you—perhaps you will become a curator of stained, crumbling tomes who destroys anyone who touches them!"

"Do you not understand? I have no choice in the matter of my duties. Chasing after whatever I fancy is impossible—I'm not allowed to be mercurial like you."

"Oh, please. You may want to become king, but you can just choose a new path!" Colress reached over the wall and pulled himself forward—the wormhole felt close enough to touch, even if it was many feet down! "When I reach an impasse in my research, I investigate a new theory and travel to another place. Right now, in fact, I'm standing at the site of a ruined temple that lies between the border of two worlds… if the potential I seek isn't present in Alola or anywhere else, I can simply move to another plane of existence and seek its opportunities."

"Colress—"

Colress cut him off. "I hope you understand that your current desires are infeasible. Allow me to explain! In your first attempt to gain power, you needed to groom another human, because only a human being could be chosen. But traveling the world to find educators for Natural and providing for him and his two caretakers took such resources! I must admit that Natural did come to embody a true hero and was chosen as you had hoped he would be, but your plan was guaranteed to fail for an even more basic reason—for Natural to be chosen, he had to be a true hero. But being a true hero, he insisted on hearing others' thoughts, thus attracting a trainer who unraveled your schemes! And as for your plot to freeze Unova—you focused too intensely on developing a plan to defeat Natural, as he interfered with your earlier attempt, and thus you were left open to attack by a completely unexpected trainer!"

Ghetsis stayed silent.

"Do you see the reason your plans fail? There are too many unknown factors you must consider, even when you think many steps ahead as you do. My reason for choosing to focus my research on bringing out the power of pokémon through trainers' bonds must now be evident to you—pokémon can be controlled by devices such as Poké Balls and my Colress Machines. Involvement with humans, on the other hand, can cause trouble. Thus, when a human is no longer useful to me, I leave! I believe you should abandon your old ambitions and test the viability of my approach." Colress grinned. His argument was perfect! He excitedly waited for Ghetsis's irritated response.

"...Colress… you have no grasp of how fortunate you are to be free of responsibilities. You and I are of a different kind—I _must_ become the new Harmonia king, no matter how many years of pain I must endure." Instead of frustrated, Ghetsis sounded melancholy and drained of energy.

"What do you mean? Why don't you do anything else?" asked Colress.

"I was bred to reunite the lines of the Heroes, and my existence is one of rules and strictures. I have been training my entire life and shaped for this purpose. But despite that, I couldn't become the hero and control the legendary Pokémon myself…" Ghetsis recounted his story like a priest gives a eulogy. "When I came upon that monster, N, deep in the woods, it caught me completely off guard. This was a boy who had received no training, yet knew the hearts of pokémon like the Harmonia king of old! And even though he'd been thrown away by his birth parents for his ability and was forced to debase himself and live as a pokémon, he was innocent enough to smile?! That much was already terrifying." His voice fell to a lower pitch. "But there was something even more haunting—this warped, defective boy looked strikingly similar to myself when I was a child, but somehow remained in perfect health… I couldn't accept it. Since that time, I've always been jealous of that freak..."

Colress giggled, loudly. "You became jealous of a such a young child?! How ridiculous!"

"Yes, Colress, I'm jealous of that freak." Ghetsis spoke, with a guttural, warning tone. "Just like I'm jealous of you."

Colress froze. He tried to formulate a response, but nothing fit. All that left his throat was make a stunted, questioning noise.

"You claim to be focused on bringing out the power of pokémon above all, but the truth is this—you're equally skilled in the art of manipulating _people_. You easily fool them into thinking you're altruistic with your smiling face and careful words, and predict their every move. Even more impressive, no matter where you go or what you do, you're never beholden to anyone!" Ghetsis's voice cracked, but he continued on without clearing his throat, his voice becoming harsher with every sentence. "In these past few days especially, I've listened to you explain how you remove any societal obstacle from your path and tear down every boundary that dares to try and confine you. Your determination to conduct your research—no, your determination to do whatever you desire—and your power to always succeed cause me to be disgustingly jealous of you, Colress. You cause me to be both envious of you... and proud of you."

Colress leaned over until his body was at a dangerous angle. He gazed into the abyss of the wormhole and watched the fading wisps of water droplets spiralling into the darkness, falling into another realm. His glasses slipped part way off his nose. After a few seconds, Colress pushed himself away from the stone wall, hard, and gripped his chest through his thick console. He burst into peals of giggles that felt endless. He giggled and giggled so hard, he felt like crying! He could scarcely speak coherently! "To think! You're actually jealous of me! And proud as well, I see!" His mouth went dry, and he paused before forcing out a longer sentence. "To think that all this time, I thought you were a red-eyed monster, when you're in fact a green-eyed monster!"

"Shut up, just shut up, Colress, you bastard!" Ghetsis shouted.

Colress pulled the phone away. "...Ghetsis?"

"Talk to me like a person! For a single moment! After all that I patiently listened to you say, is this not possible for you?! Follow this simple order or stop wasting my time!" Ghetsis's frenzied yelling was distorted by interference.

"I-I—forgive me—" Colress stammered. He felt a knot form in his stomach—but what did he have to fear? It was only one of Ghetsis's screaming breakdowns! Colress could not crumble in the face of Ghetsis's idiosyncrasies! His brows furrowed. "No. I don't care if you feel entitled to my time! You are being so detestable right now, and I am a better person than you will ever be! You admitted it yourself! You are both jealous and _proud_ of me. I can overcome any hurdle, and you will always fail! You'll lose every argument you have with me," he said, singsong. But the wave of amusement and pleasure he normally felt after besting Ghetsis did not sink in.

"Colress—!"

"Don't be reckless. You might be discovered if you continue to shout!" Colress said, forcing himself to sound amused. Where was the delight he deserved?

"Myah-ha-ha-ha…" Ghetsis laughed, his voice muffled, like a blown-out speaker. "I forgive you, Colress. You've given me a great gift—I now see... we're both prisoners." He hit something beside the PC that resulted in a dull _thud._ He abruptly hung up.

Colress felt an unfamiliar sensation, cold and prickling, deep in his chest. He could feel a pressure in the air, as if the stone enclosure was inching closer to him. He brushed the feeling aside and flew to the Tide Song Hotel, looking back at Ula'ula Meadow as the thick air pulsed around him. The clusters of flowers in the meadow swayed in tandem—together, they looked like a barely-beating, rotting heart. When Colress reached his hotel room, he immediately got ready to sleep. Normally, he would stay up until the early hours of the morning in order to type up the day's research, but the cold prickling feeling spurred him to escape consciousness. He hoped it was anticipation that he felt—after all, Colress concluded that Ghetsis would stubbornly refuse to call in the morning after his little outburst, but would probably cave after being deprived of entertainment for a few hours. It only made sense to sleep in to pass the time. He placed his cell phone beside his bed and fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Colress opened his eyes. His body felt stiff and sore, and there was a throbbing pain in his neck. The sunlight filtering in from the balcony through the break in the curtains formed a long, golden bar of light in the middle of the floor. He had slept until embarrassingly late in the afternoon. Colress struggled to get out of bed and checked his phone. It was indeed late, and he had not missed any calls. Ghetsis was being more frustrating than he had anticipated. Fortunately, Colress had only one research expedition planned.

Unfinished business remained for Colress on Mount Lanakila. He returned that evening and maneuvered through the narrow, uneven passageways, climbing the icy inclines. He passed under several natural skylights that let in the frigid night air. When he looked up, he could see stars, but the moon was not visible. He ventured farther into the mountain caves—the ice glittering on the walls looked similar to the sparkling stars above. In this place, everything he could see was monochrome blue. Eventually, Colress reached an open area, with a fence to his left that had been erected to prevent any rash trainers or bygone veterans from falling to their deaths and striking the jagged rocks that lay below. He looked past the fence and saw that the base of the mountain was obscured by a dark veil of ice fog that resembled sheet metal. He got back on the main path. Ahead of him was a pitch-black cave entrance, which he knew led to a final steep hill and his destination.

He took his hand off his console in order to keep balanced and climbed the hill. It took an extreme amount of effort to stop himself from falling. The terrain evened out. There he stood, gazing into the vast crater where Necrozma had impacted after it unfused and vanished from Ultra Space. The evidence of its crash was littered everywhere, even outside the obvious impression—sharp rocks jutted from the earth and shards of ice lay scattered. Colress stepped down into the crater slowly and approached the impact site. He looked down at the dark smear at the center. It looked like the frozen dirt had been scrubbed with an ink-soaked cloth. Colress ran a test using his console—just as he had suspected. There was still a greatly decreased photon count in this area. Perhaps Necrozma's ability to devour light had activated after the stress of colliding with the hard ground. In fact, Colress could still make out shallow claw marks, preserved by the freezing temperatures, in the dark area. It seemed after its fusion had broken, Necrozma was left desperately clinging to nothing but ice and detritus.

Colress's eyes hurt—his face must have gotten too cold. He turned away from the darkness and looked into the distance instead. He blinked hard. It was strange—he was responsible for altering the Ultra Recon Squad's device so it could grant Necrozma the ability to fuse. He had created an interesting situation that resulted in incredible events. Yet his pride was now a husk, like a Shedinja. He rubbed that area under his eyes and they still hurt, but his cheeks felt as warm as usual, so why was he in pain? He let out a long breath and watched the water vapor condense and drift through the air. His glasses lenses fogged up, and for a moment everything looked ghostly. The image of the Giant Chasm in Unova seeped into Colress's mind. He remembered paying that crater a visit and entering the deepest part of the cave some time after disbanding Team Plasma. The evidence of Kyurem's distress was similar to that of Necrozma's. Colress could even picture Ghetsis's cane standing beside him like a long-lost monument. Suddenly, Colress heard a low howl echo around him, but there were no pokémon in sight. It was only the wind. It had sounded just like Kyurem—just like the cries it had let out whenever Colress had peered into its yellow eyes through the glowing glass of the containment unit he had designed in order to make use of its power. Interesting, how Kyurem and Necrozma were both leftovers of some greater specimen—broken pokémon who had lost pieces of themselves, who nonetheless still held such potential and surpassed their limits through fusions with others.

Colress felt small, standing in such a dark place, beneath the shadowy peak of the mountain. He felt warmed by his console, yet his core remained cold and empty. Surely it was because he stood in one of the rare open spaces on Mount Lanakila and he could see the indigo sky and the stars it held. He felt the urge to call out to someone—to stumble upon a pokémon, even one lacking in potential. How childish of him. Although he had scarcely conducted any research, he decided it was time to leave this place behind. He turned and walked away, resisting the temptation to look back and consider what he had found.

* * *

The next day, he woke up early to the twittering of Pikipek. He pursed his lips and buried his head in his pillow, blocking out the infuriating noise. Ghetsis was so patiently stubborn! But of course he was. He was willing to spend many painful years keeping up a facade—his games ran long, taking a deeper toll on his mental and physical health each time… Colress got up and went through his morning routine, eager to leave the confines of his hotel room and locate a subject to study. All he had for breakfast was a smoothie made from a random assortment of berries he had picked without thinking—he knew it was not a properly nutritious meal, but he had to get out.

He spent a fruitless hour visiting the base of Mount Lanakila this time—it should have fascinated him, the way Crabrawler had clearly developed a dependency on humans so that they could be brought out of their usual habitat and evolve into Crabominable, but what did it matter? It was only more evidence for conclusions Colress had reached long ago. He wandered away from the shadow of the mountain, which hung over him like a guillotine. He headed in the direction of the Aether House on Route 15. He passed a small patch of coast that had eroded away from the grassy fields of the route. As usual, that disgraced former member of Unova's Elite Four was standing there, staring out to sea, his black scarf swaying in the wind like a Reaper Cloth stuck to a dead branch. He was pitiful, standing there and contemplating what he had lost through such a petty, meaningless pursuit. Colress would never choose to analyze someone like that.

He pressed on. He passed the sign for Route 15 and noticed two figures standing on the Aether House's porch—Lusamine and Guzma. Lusamine laughed and covered her mouth as Guzma nodded. Colress came closer. He stood to the side of the porch in order to listen to their conversation while avoiding detection.

"But I didn't come here to catch up, I came here to battle you," said Guzma.

"Of course you did. I hope you came to lose, as well," said Lusamine.

"No, I can't say I came for that. And it's no problem since there's no chance of that happening!"

"Oh, so you think you can defeat me? I wouldn't count on it... each and every day now, I'm trying to understand what it means to be a truly great trainer. I'm even stronger now, don't you see?" Lusamine clicked her high heels against the shiny porch.

Colress could not stand to listen to their friendly ribbing. This bond between Lusamine and Guzma was odd and should not exist—how had he failed to notice before? Lusamine had been selfish, and had endangered Guzma when she ordered him to follow her before she took the device into Ultra Space. Guzma had witnessed her unjust behavior firsthand on multiple occasions and had been victim to it, yet Colress observed him confront Rainbow Rocket in order to save her. Why had Lusamine and Guzma made amends, and so quickly? It should have been impossible. Colress had to interrupt them and determine the reasons, even if it was rude to do so.

He strode up to the Aether House. "Oh, I'm glad to have run into you again. If it's not an inconvenience, may I ask you a few questions?"

"Ah, Colress, " said Lusamine. From below, Colress could see both of her eyes—a gleam was present in them. It was yet more evidence for the unfathomable, mutually-enjoyable bond between her and Guzma.

"You again? Can't you stay out of people's business? Don't mess with our battle!" said Guzma.

"I'm glad to see you, Lusamine. My visit to Aether Paradise was a great help," he said, out of obligation. He looked to Guzma. "I have no intention of 'messing' with anyone's battle. I only want to request information to assist me in my research into the power of pokémon." He typed on his console at a frenetic pace. The beeping noises caused Guzma to scowl, but Colress barely registered it. "You see—the data I've collected show the latent potential of pokémon is brought out by the bonds they share with their trainers. Now, I am curious about the bonds between trainers themselves."

"Heh, are you out lookin' for a dating service? We can't help you with that."

Lusamine laughed softly.

Colress felt a dull ache in the back of his neck. "It seems you don't understand. No, I have no interest in a dating service. I hope you will excuse me, I had a rather... difficult day…" He trailed off and looked away, back to the dark form of Mount Lanakila. He hoped an appeal to emotion would make his targets defrost.

"I'm glad you want to learn more about not just pokémon, but the care between people as well," said Lusamine. "Guzma, I know this may be delaying our battle, but I say we should humor Colress."

"Because if we help him bring out the best in himself and others, we can prevent him from wrecking things like we did?" asked Guzma.

"Yes. It would be quite lovely to share what we've learned, don't you think?"

Their words made it clear—they were patronizing him, lording their bond over Colress. They believed they were better than he was. Colress longed to tell them he could see through their rhetoric, but knew it would not lead to him gathering the data he needed. He held his tongue and took their response as his cue to climb the porch steps. The little fence that enclosed the Aether House looked like sharp-cut zirconium crystal, but while aesthetically pleasing, it stood pathetically short next to Colress. "I see you are happy to answer my question. I appreciate the help with my research. Now, I would like to hear more about the bond you two share—I don't quite understand it. Why are you two on friendly terms? I'm asking in order to better understand the way trainers' bonds affect their skill with pokémon."

"That's easy." Guzma put his arms behind his head and leaned against the side of the building. "The prez was the first person her age to see how strong I was!"

"Guzma is not only strong, but intelligent as well. He thinks on his feet," said Lusamine. "Even better, his bonds with his pokémon are unshakable, a quality I appreciate as someone who wants to keep pokémon safe—his Golispod has been with him from the very beginning!"

"Interesting…" Colress tilted his head down and pretended to record these meaningless responses. "And why do you still appreciate each other when Lusamine exploited and endangered you, Guzma?" he asked, feigning nonchalance.

"What!" Lusamine flinched. Her teeth were bared. "How can you ask such a thing?!"

"Oh," Colress tried to sound surprised. "I heard from the Champion and the Ultra Recon Squad that you selfishly stole the device I created, attempted to defeat Necrozma yourself, and ordered Guzma to follow you… was I misinformed? I must hear the truth, if this is incorrect."

"I may not be one to talk, but you're stupid if you think we'll buy that! You just want to put us down because you're messed up or somethin'!" Guzma snapped.

Lusamine moved to stand between them. "Guzma, wait," she said. "Perhaps he has a point, however clumsily he's made it." She shot Colress a frigid look before turned back to Guzma. "What I did was terribly dangerous… taking you to Ultra Space just because I wanted to be the one to solve everything myself was awful. You could have been killed and Alola could have been swallowed by darkness for eternity!"

"Y'know, that was the best I could have hoped for. You had me go with you because I was one of the things you liked, unlike your kids. You were still being better to me than anybody else your age," said Guzma. Focusing on Lusamine calmed him. "It was more credit than I'd ever gotten…"

"That that was the best you could have hoped for from me might be true, especially since I couldn't even be a mother to my poor children. But you always deserved far better." Lusamine's hair bowed over her body like the shell of a Cloister, as if it was a barrier keeping herself and Guzma in their own little world away from Colress, as if their emotional connection was not enough to mock him.

"Yeah, but the Alolan wind's still blowin' and you already said sorry for all of the stuff you did." Guzma closed his eyes. "And look, ma'am—I mean, Lusamine—I used to beat my homies when they didn't do what I wanted 'em to. I thought your room full of frozen pokémon was just proof of how big and bad you were at first. So I'm not much better than the creep who's standin' behind us right now."

Colress's eyes narrowed. He moved in close to Lusamine, close enough that the bristly ends of her hair brushed against his covered arm. "Forgive me for interrupting this tender moment of yours, but is this the entire explanation of your continued friendship? You have forgiven each other for your flaws, and somehow that is enough to ensure your bond's viability? Is that a truthful answer?" With each phrase he spoke, his speech became more frantic. "Please tell me the _truth_ ," he pronounced the word as a plosive, as if it were a curse.

Lusamine and Guzma turned back to him. Their eyes were wide, most likely with pity—probably to grind this indignity even deeper into his heart. "What's going on with your mouth?" asked Guzma.

"W-What? I…" Colress's mouth was indeed quivering, revealing flashes of his gritted teeth.

"We are telling you the truth, Colress," said Lusamine. She held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Rest easy. May I suggest you enter the Aether House…? We have Pecha tea inside. You need not worry about a thing..." She was babying him like he was some broken pokémon. How twisted.

Colress finally understood. The two of them were sad, flawed halves reaching out for each other, and that was why their bond could be sustained. Kyurem, Necrozma, the two of them… they were all alike. They were of no use to him anymore. "...Forgive me," he said. "I hope I have not offended you—you have shown me your ideal truth. The stress I'm experiencing has nothing to do with you, so I will leave you to your battle." He walked down the stairs, holding his arms close to his chest. He continued down the dirt trail.

He did not need to turn around to see their confused faces—he could picture their lack of understanding himself. "Hey, you creep!" Guzma yelled from above. "If you're lonely or whatever, don't worry—when you've lost everything, that's when you'll find something new!"

Colress flinched. He kept walking.

"And if you don't care, and are hard of heart, you may end up with nothing…" Lusamine's voice was soft, yet she managed to project it. "But learning can lead to forgiveness!"

They were quite a pain, but Colress should not have expected any other result. No one could feel what he felt. He felt nausea bubbling inside him, and his mouth tasted sour. His head was throbbing, a pain exacerbated by their distant voices and the morning sun. Colress knew he had not eaten enough, but he was too sick to consume anything more.

* * *

He flitted aimlessly from one island to another, never settling in any one place for long. He thought to visit Alola's urban center, Hau'oli City, but he could not stand watching the strangers playing on the beachfront and basking in each other's company. He then tried Malie, which at the very least had the Recycling Plant, which was relevant to his interests. But all he could picture as he wandered the cobblestone streets was Ghetsis's voice and what he would say about the cultural significance of the Johto-inspired architecture. He had to escape that place as well. Eventually, it felt like the world was spinning, and he realized he had to choose between eating or collapsing. After forcing himself to stop at the Pokémon Center Cafe near the Battle Royal Dome, he decided that in addition to needed nutritious sustenance, he had to give himself a familiar treat—something that would remind his base senses that there were many things in the world he enjoyed that he had not lost. He picked up a large Casteliacone, and savoring it was all he could look forward to as he made himself eat lunch. Afterward, he took the ice cream to Wela Volcano Park. How fun it would be to eat the cold dessert and feel the contrast between it and the radiating heat.

Colress leaned against one of the large rocks close to the shore. The ice cream was melting, so he had to lick it up quickly. Each bite pleased his senses for a moment, but the sweet flavor was fleeting, leaving nothing behind but numbing cold. After finishing what should have been lovely, his eyes and palate stung.

A loud beeping sound rang out. Colress's heart skipped a beat! He dropped the cone on the hot sand and crushed it underfoot. He needed his hands free. He snatched his phone and stared at it. He was grinning so wide, it hurt. He pressed a button on the phone to take the call—but there was no call. He listened more carefully, now transfixed—the sound was not coming from his phone after all, but from something else he was carrying. After a slow search, he found the source—it was the device that informed him a Staryu he had tagged with a radiometer was close. And when Colress looked to the surf, there was indeed a flickering ruby light, faintly visible through the harsh sunlight reflecting off the water. He stood there, staring at the ever-changing lights.

He yelled and whirled around, slamming the device into the dark rock. The mechanism shattered on impact and metal and plastic splinters shot through the air. Those Staryu could go free! What did it matter?! Nothing would have come from this study aside from more useless data holding up conclusions he had reached long ago! Colress looked down at the broken pieces of his invention that lay scattered on the beach. His grin twitched, but did not fall—his day may have been ruined, but at least he could gain some satisfaction through destroying.

Colress stood half-hunched over, and he took fast, shallow breaths, like a rabid predator. Through his mental haze, he thought he could see a figure in his peripheral vision, but why try to alter his behavior? Human were unworthy subjects, and even if a powerful human grew disgusted by him, he could simply turn his back on Alola and flee to other shores—no region held any answer. They were all alike!

His suspicion was proven correct when he heard a familiar, cheery voice. "Mr. Colress, hello!" Lillie waved to him from the ridge of igneous rock. Her hair was large and painfully bright, like a halo. She slowly lowered her hand. "A-Are you all right? Wait, I'll come down to see you..." She ran to the nearest slope, then across the beach to meet him. "Oh no, you look like you might be heatsick. Here, I have a Fresh Water in my bag—let me get some for y—"

"Stop!" Colress stood up straight again. He kept grinning like a Gengar. "It seems you misunderstood my situation! The gift of items will not sway me. I'm not like _that_ young trainer, who trusted my judgment because I simply gave them one Protein..."

Lillie held her bag in front of her, putting distance between her and Colress. "Please, you're rambling just like someone who's heatsick. You're not making any sense!"

"Then maybe you will answer a few questions, so I can begin to make sense of things from now on," said Colress. Lillie was a forgetful, weak novice who could not be independent. But despite this, she had taught Lusamine how to begin sorting out her life's many errors. Lillie was also well-liked by many powerful trainers. She was not unintelligent, at least in the ways of pokémon. Was it possible that she could offer him assistance after all?

"Well, I'll answer your questions if you drink some water in return..." she said.

"Then I will! Well now, tell me—do you think bonds of friendship are the only key to bringing out true power and potential? Or are there other ways to accomplish such a feat?"

Lillie thought for a moment. "I really, really am grateful to my friends, and they helped me bring out my full power… but I guess I don't agree with the premise of your question?"

This was quite the unexpected response! He thought she would have agreed on impulse, considering her extreme transformation. "And what do you not agree with, Miss Lillie?"

"I may not be understanding, but it seems like power and potential are what's more important to you. But… but friendship for its own sake is more important."

Colress considered telling her that the topic of his research necessitated a focus on bringing those things out of his subjects, but something stopped him. He waited for her to continue.

She looked down at her bag, to a Poké Doll whose face was peeking out of it. "You could be the most powerful person in the world, but without helping others and being friends with them, you will still be missing something... you will still be alone."

Something hot—no, sparking and vibrating—like a fluctuating orb of plasma felt lodged within Colress's chest. The urge to destroy came back to him in a crashing wave. He could not help but consider how simple a procedure to neutralize Lillie would be. Was this true hatred? It was exhilarating, but unfortunately distracting from his goal. "...I see… and how do bonds of friendship form? I'm referring to friendship between human beings." He then gave her the same excuse about moving from researching bonds between trainers and their pokémon to researching those between trainers themselves.

Lillie quirked an eyebrow. She was staring as if he were a Ditto pretending to be a human. "Um… just think about all the friends you've made here in Alola."

"And what friends are those?" Colress asked. Hearing how little she understood of his true self was somehow comforting.

As expected Lillie simply listed people who liked Colress. "The Ultra Recon Squad, Moon, the other trainers at the Battle tree, and me, not to mention pretty much everyone at Aether, like my mother and Ms. Wicke... maybe not Mr. Faba. I shouldn't be gossiping, but I think he's jealous of you—"

"Do not use that phrase!" Colress snapped. He put his foot down, cracking one of the broken pieces of his device in the process. "You should not stick your neck into something you cannot understand!"

Lillie sucked in a breath. She ran to the edge of the surf and hastily put on her bag again. She pulled out a Poké Ball and gripped it tightly. "Mr. Colress, please stop! I'll have Ribombee use Pollen Puff to try and heal you if you won't calm down." She dug the heels of her Mary Janes into the wet sand. They sank in, leaving behind dark impressions that were sucked away by the rushing water.

Colress drummed his fingers against his console and let out a curt sigh. His own apathy had been clouding his judgment, and he realized that if he wanted the chance to fix things, he would have to return to his well-worn, tired tactics. "Oh, Miss Lillie, please forgive me. I've been having a very stressful time." He had to sanitize what happened—he previously referred to Ghetsis as an "old friend" when Moon asked, so Colress built a story from there until it was sound. "...I was speaking to an old friend of mine… they were venting to me, and I callously made light of their suffering. I think they were hurt by what I did. I'm having trouble deciding what to do next, and how I should handle everything from now on..."

Lillie's mouth fell open slightly. She brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "So that's the reason… do you want my advice? I want to help, Mr. Colress. I know a thing or two about care."

The words, "You know far less than you think" nearly left Colress's mouth, but he suppressed them. Normally, such language was appropriate with Ghetsis alone—and yet, it netted him all this trouble. It was so frustrating! "Yes. If you would, please share your knowledge with me."

"You should say you're sorry for how you hurt them, and them the next time the next time they confide in you, you will make sure to listen and help as best you can. This will give your _friend_ the chance to smile again." Lillie herself was smiling brightly now. She had put a strange emphasis on that one word… was she amused? Or was she being sarcastic? It was yet another unknown factor. "This is all I ask of you."

That white-hot feeling came surging back, full force. The only potential Lillie held was the potential to let him down. He had been hoping it could not be true, but as he suspected, all of the other options had been exhausted, leaving only one treacherous path ahead. He had no choice. "Then I will take all you've said into careful consideration. I appreciate your cooperation." Colress did not bother willing his usual smile back to his face. He knew his pinched expression would help him appear gravely sincere, an emotion she would expect given his explanation. It was time to turn his back on Wela Volcano Park as he had every other place—he only had himself to rely on, an arrangement he had long preferred. But as he made his way to the main path, he could not help but glare back at Lillie and the blazing shoreline. "Oh, and Miss Lillie? It is _Doctor_ Colress."

* * *

Colress paced around the hotel room, his footfalls heavy. He had procrastinated as long as possible by training his Klefki, but by now the sun was setting. It was time to act.

Lillie, Lusamine, and Guzma had been useless, but this was not a surprise. Their words hinged on friendship and were tailored based on their own past experiences. They could never understand the complicated, deep-rooted bond between Ghetsis and himself. As frustrating as it was, he would have to craft a response unique to him. Colress wandered out onto the balcony and walked in circles. Hopefully, the beautiful pink clouds and the sunset over the sea would inspire him.

Though Colress had the number Ghetsis had been calling him from, if Ghetsis had enough willpower to keep from calling again for days, it was unlikely that he would happen to be there if Colress called that PC. An incoming call to a PC in the psychiatric hospital might also seem suspicious—it was unlikely the staff considered that most modern PCs shared voice call functions. It would be particularly unfortunate if someone other than Ghetsis saw Colress's number and recorded it. No, he could not call Ghetsis. Instead, he would have to send him another email, which would be waiting for him. Colress could only hope that eventually, Ghetsis would choose to open the message and reply.

Colress ran his fingers along the railing, feeling its smooth, gentle curve. He stopped and began composing with his console. "Dear Ghetsis," he wrote, then paused. Was the use of "dear" appropriate for someone who was not a friend, but instead someone Colress variously cast as a friend, enemy, or rival to suit his interest? This was the traditional opening, however, and nothing else was suitable. It was a lack of civility that had landed him in such an unfortunate situation in the first place, and after all, were he to begin the message with, "To Ghetsis:" instead, Ghetsis would "myah-ha-ha" at him and say he truly was robotic. Colress felt himself blush at the thought.

"Oh, I will simply search for the proper stationary instead," Colress told himself. He leaned against the railing and scrolled through the options. Normally, he would choose a colorful, blinding backdrop, but that would undermine his efforts. He pursed his lips. Not one of the backgrounds suited an apology! The closest he could find was one with sunbeams in the upper left corner and raindrops in the bottom right corner—a smiling Sunny Form Castform and a frowning Rainy Form Castform were floating amidst their respective weather phenomena. Behind the area set aside for the message stretched a pastel rainbow. Could this stationary be the best of both worlds? It included many colors, and Colress always had enjoyed cutesy details, but it also conveyed a message of hope during hardship. He selected it and tried to move on.

He returned to writing. "Dear Ghetsis, Please forgive me." Colress stopped and deleted the word "please—" it sounded too desperate! He was left with "Forgive me," but these words unsettled him. It was his usual phrasing, but it was written as a demand, and he could not demand that Ghetsis forgive him. He rephrased it as, "I apologize for hurting you by making light of your suffering in your time of need…" But that was rather presumptuous of him, for he had no idea whether or not Ghetsis had actually been hurt by his actions. It was true that he had been exhausted, then broke down, but as he had always known, these were Ghetsis's idiosyncrasies and the two of them were occasionally enemies. Would Ghetsis not resignedly expect such behavior? It was possible he had not been deeply hurt, and was refusing to call out of stubbornness or a desire to teach his rival the lesson that behaving immaturely was not without consequence. Colress struck the part about his being hurt. "I apologize for making light of your suffering in your time of need." Lillie's advice included reassuring Ghetsis that next time, Colress would be helpful. But such statements were not included in his and Ghetsis's dynamic. Instead, Colress wrote, "I promise I will refrain from insulting you when you next confide in me, and will instead wait until you are ready!"

As Colress stared down at the complete draft, he considered sending some comforting item to the PC along with the email in order to prove his dedication. A Casteliacone came to mind, but he shuddered at the memory of Wela Volcano Park and rejected the thought. Ice cream was messy, as well, and that would only exacerbate was was undoubtedly a fraught, violent relationship between Ghetsis and the staff. It would have to be something more dense, like chocolate. Unfortunately, a Sweet Heart would appear either overly sarcastic and color his message with humor, or would come across as—no, he would have to choose something else. A Shalour Sable was an easy solution! It was simple, dense, and adaptable. But wait, there was no way item delivery would be allowed to the ward. It would be too risky, and the last thing he needed was to cause Ghetsis more trouble. Even more unfortunately, gifts from Colress were always intended to cause his subjects to be compliant and suggestible, and Ghetsis knew this well.

Colress's mouth quivered. He took his hand off the console and looked out into the red sky. He was overthinking every detail of his response. If only Ghetsis knew, he would certainly laugh at him, but he could not. He would only be able to receive Colress's written words, and he could not send his true thoughts. It was impossible! It was too ironic—in Alola, Colress was so free. Nobody knew who he truly was inside. But by wearing masks for so long, he ended up in a bind—were he to respond lightly, his message would sound insincere. If he were to respond honestly, it would sound even more insincere coming from him!

He closed the draft and shut off his console. He went back into his room, closed the curtains, hung his coat on a chair, and sank into his mattress. He would sleep on this dilemma and hope for a better solution to dawn on him.


	6. Chapter 6

Colress's eyes flew open at the sound of beeping. The room seemed dark and desaturated, and a telltale thrumming reverberated throughout—rain was buffeting the hotel. The clouds had rolled in overnight. How was he even able to discern the beeping from that overpowering noise? In a flash, Colress sat up in bed and reached out for his phone—it was Ghetsis! When Colress saw the number, he nearly dropped it as if the phone was superheated! He managed to answer the call and turn on the "speaker" setting despite his altered state—he did not even bother to sweep his forelock out of his eyes.

"Ghetsis!" he said, a bit too loudly. "I-I… before you say—I promise to—when you next—that is… ah… I—"

"My apologies, Colress," said Ghetsis.

"Excuse me?" Colress's heart hammered like the pouring rain.

"Don't play this game with me. Your surprised tone makes it obvious you've noticed my absence," said Ghetsis. "Another inmate—and don't tell me the correct term is patient—damaged the PCs in a fit of rage. They weren't repaired until now, and had I called you on a phone, I would have risked being overheard."

Colress finally brushed the hair out of his face and put on his glasses, which he had completely forgotten to do. He scrutinized Ghetsis's tone. He sounded enervated and his voice was raspy, but the only anger Colress detected was aimed at people in the ward. What was this? "And you… and this was your only reason for not calling me?"

"Yes, Colress." Ghetsis was probably rolling his eye at him. "Use your head. It wasn't your annoying presence keeping me away—I've trained myself to withstand it."

Colress felt a chill in the air, even though his lower body was wrapped tightly in a blanket. He climbed out of bed, tried and failed to tread lightly across the cool floor, and put on his Achromatic Wearable Console. Unfortunately, it failed to provide any comfort. He understood why. He held the phone close to his ear and took a deep breath. "...The fact that I mocked you and made light of your difficulties is unrelated? You attempted to confide in me, and I… disrespected your feelings." He tried hard not to stammer. "I apolo—"

Ghetsis cut him off. "Why would you think that expression of your immaturity would have anything to do with this?"

"It seemed you had been hurt by my actions—you were shouting, as if you had been engulfed by the flames of madness! You told me we were prisoners, then abruptly hung up!"

"And why would it matter if you upset me, Colress? You love to rise up against me, and inflicting pain is often key to both our strategies. You treat me according to those transient moods of yours."

"If-If it does not matter, why did you attempt to confide in me in the first place?" He did not contest the other claims, for they were truth. He gripped the curtains that covered the balcony and rubbed them between his fingers. He quickly tired of this and threw open the curtains—sheets of rain were falling. It looked like a monsoon outside! The next day, paths would likely be littered with fallen trees and their shattered limbs. Ghetsis did not answer, and the overpowering sight and sound of the rain battering the island emboldened Colress. "...Even if you weren't hurt, I apologize. I promise to wait to insult you when you next—that is, if you choose to confide in me again."

"What's this...? I can't accept your apology. You only acted as you always have," said Ghetsis. His voice continuously became lower, as if he suppressed the urge to cough up something that was irritating his throat. "I can't figure out your intentions… you see, I foolishly thought that you would listen to me after I patiently listened to you. Before you enjoy laughing at me about this, know I corrected this error already. I won't allow it to happen again!" He sounded even more strained. But his voice also had a maniacal edge, as if he were thoroughly punishing an unseen enemy.

"To what error are you referring? I was the one in error!" The rainstorm seemed to drain the vibrant colors of Alola, leaving only grey tones.

"I momentarily forgot our predictable pattern!" said Ghetsis. "I forgot the way things are. And how they must always be…" The storm drowned out his voice.

After all the trouble Colress had gone through to determine the best possible response, Ghetsis rejected his apology. Perhaps he doubted his sincerity, which would be understandable. Colress leaned forward slightly, resting his forehead against the cold windows of the balcony door. He sighed, and his breath fogged up the glass. At this point, what could be done? Ghetsis was right, and Colress could not deny it—the two of them hurting each other was an integral part of their routine, just as it had always been.

"Well now, you're being awfully quiet," Ghetsis said. "Have you gone missing, too?" Despite his light words, his voice was so drained of energy, it was as if he had not slept for days on end.

Colress had exactly what he wanted—he was on the phone with Ghetsis, and the two of them were back to verbally fencing, trading jabs with each other. Ghetsis had even told him what he had done was simply the norm! But instead of being absolved of guilt, Colress felt lower than ever. The resigned tone of voice in which Ghetsis had stated it was only the way things were made him feel all frozen up inside. "Oh… no, I'm certainly still here," he said quietly. All the information he had filed over the past few days came rushing back to his mind. He had always been proud to be ambiguous, but perhaps this situation called for drastic measures? He pressed on. "Ghetsis, I-I haven't been completely honest with you! I… you… the truth is, I—that is to say, you _are_ my star test subject, once again. And while our dynamic may be as it's always been, as you are my test subject, I reserve the right to alter it as I see fit! Do you agree?"

Colress noticed his phone was unsteady—his hands were shaking. He listened for Ghetsis's response. For several long seconds, he heard only the rain. Then, he heard Ghetsis laugh under his breath and Colress exhaled slowly. "Myah-ha-ha… any sensible person would ask, 'May we be friends?' But of course, you phrase it that way!" The tension in Ghetsis's voice melted away. "And in what experiment will you use me as your star test subject? Why, are you curiously researching true friendship?"

"D-Don't put words in my mouth!" Colress exclaimed. "Just... just... simply accept or decline," he added, more softly.

"I accept," Ghetsis said softly. "...I can tell by your stammering you clearly need great kindness. You must be so pleased in light of your friend's immense generosity."

"Oh, please." Colress looked at his reflection in the glass and saw his little angular smile appearing—he realized with a start that he had not been smiling beforehand! "W-Well now! Tell me, my friend, what would you like to discuss today?" he asked, keeping interactions he had recorded between friends in mind.

"Come now, that tone of voice doesn't sound sincere," said Ghetsis. Colress could picture Ghetsis's smug look down to the little crease above the left side of his mouth as he smiled. "Ask me a question as a friend would!"

As a friend would? What kind of questions did friends ask each other? He had mimicked friendly speech accurately, based on his notes! He scrolled through the data he had recently gathered using his console, searching for an explanation that did not appear. Seconds passed, and Ghetsis was waiting for his response. He had no choice but to speak up and hope to ask something profound! "What is your favorite color?!" he blurted out. He turned away from the windows before he could watch himself blush. He hid his head in his hand, anticipating Ghetsis's laughter. It was odd—he felt embarrassed, yet his heart was fluttering in pleased excitement. Was this one of the potential benefits of taking causing harm to each other out of the equation?

To Colress's surprise, Ghetsis's signature laugh did not come into play. "I never had one favorite color. I appreciate each color of the rainbow. What is your favorite, my friend?" Ghetsis spoke with a cadence Colress had never heard before. He wished he could see Ghetsis's expression and analyze it.

Colress gently lowered his hand. "Oh, it is a bluish-grey." The constant thrumming of the rain was very calming. The sheets of rain were becoming a pleasant shower. "I believe that as your friend, I must strive to be more… forthright and… clear… from now on."

"Is 'honest' is the word you're searching for?"

"Ah, yes. I suppose I ought to file that word away so that I may pull it up later and remind myself!" His smile reached his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, Colress noticed that the storm had passed, and patches of sun were shining through the clouds! The refraction of light caused the droplets sitting on the glass to resemble precious gems. "If you would, allow me to prepare to venture out. I look forward to continuing our talk."

* * *

A rainbow had appeared after the storm. It was so vivid, Colress could see not one, but two faint rainbows beside it! He hatched a plot and flew straight to Route 3. He quickly crossed the wooden bridge, before carefully aligning the rainbows in the sky so they were side-by-side with the one formed by the waterfall. He took a photo, then eagerly awaited Ghetsis's call, mentally rehearsing what to say until his phone rang.

Colress picked up, and said, "My desire to be honest… in order to remain dedicated to it, I should inform you that yesterday, I was agonizing in my hotel room, attempting to compose an apology email to send you!"

Ghetsis made an amused sound. "And what tacky background did you deem appropriate for an apology? I would very much like to see it."

"I knew that you would!" Colress exclaimed. Ghetsis had reacted just as he had hoped! Colress attached the photo to the email and sent it. "As you can see, both the stationary I had chosen and today's weather phenomena fit perfectly with your favorite colors."

There was a brief pause. "Ah, they do…" Nothing but his breath came through the speaker for a while. "...I… appreciate… your attentiveness to our conversation."

"Yes! And now, I finally understand what requires my attention!" Colress had studied bonds for so long, but he had never explored this method! Despite the subject of his research, his studies had been misguided. He had opened his eyes—he knew why others had significant results when he did not. He could understand, and it was very, very exciting! "Well then, allow me to use this attentiveness to correct my previous mistake—if you don't mind, may I hear how you're doing? I will listen."

Ghetsis cleared his throat. "...You deserve to know the truth—the memory of my defeats haunted me. Having lost heart, I went through a period of deep despair… I had decided I was going to die, imprisoned here."

Colress clapped a hand over his mouth before he blurted anything out. The water from the waterfall kept crashing down.

"I ordered the Shadow Triad to leave, and screamed that they were wasting their time… that all my dreams had been burned to ash. They refused to listen to me for over a year. I've no idea what I did that pushed them over the edge, but eventually they left several months ago," Ghetsis said, oddly matter-of-fact. "My downward spiral continued. But when I discovered the news about the leaders of this Team Rainbow Rocket who came from other worlds, it piqued my interest. I read that another version of myself had been present, and that you had been involved in Rainbow Rocket's defeat. I then decided to call you and uncover the entire story—I knew the other world's version of myself had succeeded, and it granted me some hope."

Colress waited for him to continue, but Ghetsis was finished recounting his tale. Colress took this opportunity to speak. "I… did suspect that was the case. I could not understand why the Shadows would leave otherwise." The thought of living in a world without Ghetsis shook Colress to his core, as if they were an example of obligate symbiosis. Could he express this idea without appearing odd and overly sentimental? "I am glad you recovered—I-I feel like I would be lost without our unique bond!"

Colress sensed that Ghetsis was smiling. "I feel the same," said Ghetsis. "Now, I have finally regained my lost heart. I've decided my newest plan must involve slowly convincing the nurses I'm healthy, calm, and sane. I expect as soon as they grant me a touch of freedom, I'll be able to escape—this entire time, I've been painstakingly noting the weaknesses of each nurse and the layout of the facility."

"May I ask how long this will take? How long are hospitalizations at this institution…?"

"If I demonstrate signs of stability, it may only be a single year. I've wasted twice that amount time already."

Colress's mouth quivered. He was not fond of Ghetsis's penchant for playing long games—they were detrimental to both Ghetsis's mental and physical health. "I can't say I'm pleased to hear it will be such a long time—I would never stay dedicated to a single goal for so long!" However, there was something he could suggest in order to ease Ghetsis's pain. "I realize I was irreverent when I previously told you, but I honestly do believe it would lessen the stress of your plot were you to pursue a leisure activity you enjoy and find a hobby. And art history is a likely possibility!" Colress paced beside the cliffs as he spoke, before walking into Melemele Meadow. He was that actress dancing alongside her Oricorio above the sea of yellow flowers. The petals were caught by the breeze and floated into the air.

"I have never been afforded the luxury of leisure activities, Colress. Why would I suddenly be allowed it now?" asked Ghetsis.

"It's because you deserve it!" Colress exclaimed. Unfortunately, such a passionate declaration was unlikely to convince Ghetsis. "...And partaking in leisure activities will make it easier to induce a relaxed state, further convincing the nurses that you should be deinstitutionalized. You're intelligent enough to know play is an integral aspect of development for both humans and pokémon—why continue to excise it from your routine? You say it cannot be _allowed_ … but who's watching?" He winked to punctuate his words.

Ghetsis laughed under his breath, as if a weight had been lifted from him. "Even so, there are no museums inside this asylum… though if it pacifies you, I suppose I can grant myself the privilege of attempting to create artwork myself. It will be a fascinating challenge, considering the abysmal quality of the art supplies they provide to patients… Mareep live in the Alola region, don't they? Since you insist of sending me photographs, could you take pictures of that pokémon—and pictures of any yellow flowers you come across?"

"Oh, that will be more simple than you know!" Colress immediately held out his hands and began.

* * *

The first time Colress visited the Battle Tree, he had been underwhelmed. While their array of prizes was impressive, the facility itself as far smaller than Unova's Pokémon World Tournament. However, as he strode up to the entrance with the power of true friendship behind him, he realized how perfectly the Battle Tree combined natural light, flora, and manmade architecture. He took snapshots of as much of the structure as he could and showed them to Ghetsis, who explained the role of pokémon as key tools for architects—the people who designed the Battle Tree had stunning control over their pokémon!

Colress stood beside the sign before the entrance, near the little seaside waterfalls that joined the ocean. "Your suspicions were correct… I am at an impasse. My research has yielded so few findings as of late, I returned to your methods!" he said. "I even taught one of my Klinklang Toxic, two offensive moves, and Protect, and gave it a Leftovers, after your Cofagrigus's moveset. I also utilize the move Explosion often… it seems that despite the great results found by trainers who bring out their pokémon's full potential using love, a merciless approach like yours also consistently achieves its goal."

"Why, I'm flattered," said Ghetsis. "And how have your battles been proceeding so far?"

"I have been incredibly successful in that regard!" Colress exclaimed. "I have focused my team on defense and utility, and have had considerable success! I harness the power of Mega Evolution with Metagross and the even greater strength of Z-Power with Klinklang, and I win a considerable percentage of matches! I have also captured new pokémon, including the Alolan form of Muk—are you aware it's a dual, poison- and dark-type? And then there is the Shiny Klefki! I am very fortunate!" he grew louder by the sentence. He swung his free hand out, accidentally hitting the sign. Through his thick gloves, he barely felt it!

Ghetsis tapped something a few times to a rhythm, catching Colress's attention. "Please, not so loud," he said, his voice almost a hiss. "I had to turn down the volume—I would have been discovered otherwise."

"Oh, excuse me!" Colress covered his mouth and waited a few seconds for his unfettered energy to subside. "I suppose I do get carried away. You were correct…" He thought back to the gorgeous starlit night, when he had tagged the Staryu. "I was too proud to admit it, but you did save me from shorting out my Achromatic Wearable Console with seawater that one night..."

It took Ghetsis some time to respond. "I'm... still not used to this humble evolution of yours. Does this frequently happen during battles? Does your sincere grin come into play?"

Colress huffed. "And I'm still not used to your fawning over me!" he said. "In any case… I do often find myself lost in… enthusiasm during my battles. But what is my 'sincere grin?' I am always smiling brightly regardless!"

Ghetsis did not grace his first comment with a response. "Your sincere grin is lopsided and shows your teeth… the sinister version of your true smile, which is angular and reaches your eyes, unlike your dull, deceitful smile for fooling the gullible into trusting you."

"What is this?! Why would you notice these minute differences!" No one had noticed such things—to his embarrassment, Colress had not even realized these subtle tells existed! It was not an issue, as his subjects could not detect them either, but how had Ghetsis managed to catalogue them so effectively?

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't notice these truths about you?"

Ah, then it could again be explained by friendship. Colress used his console to record this finding—that friends may have a markedly increased awareness of each other's traits. Perhaps this was how Lillie could effectively support Moon's pokémon despite her inexperience and foolishness. The sun came out from behind a fluffy cloud, but Colress could tell the warm feeling he felt was not due to its light, but due to this finding—no, specifically this finding's connection to Ghetsis in particular. "Oh, you're right... and I am certain that I could discern your fake smile from your truly happy face if I were to be given the proper data!" By paying special attention, Colress noticed that his current smile was the true smile Ghetsis had described.

"Of course! You're highly intelligent."

Colress idly twirled his forelock between his fingers. "...Well then, I would very much like to see you happy in order to run a few tests," he said softly.

"Yes…?" It sounded like a question. He cleared his throat before continuing, "It looks like I'm successfully able to guide your through your manic outbursts."

"Now, now, I would not say I'm…" Colress made a high-pitched noise. He would have contested Ghetsis's claim, but his new dedication to honesty prevented him from doing so! "Go-Go on."

"As I was saying, why not make use of my methods yourself—during battles, at the very least?" he asked. "Isolate a repeating sound or action and focus on it, ask yourself where you are and what you're doing…"

"You are sounding like a psychiatric nurse yourself! Yet more evidence that your studies—be they anthropological, historical, or otherwise in nature—grant you potential outside of your plans for total domination!" Colress carefully typed up all of Ghetsis's suggestions. "I'll test your proposed methods at this facility—call me back in an hour, if possible, and we will discuss the results of my experiment together!"

"You must truly care if you want to discuss results of your experiments with me!" said Ghetsis.

Colress had to end the call before he became too much of a stammering, blathering mess. It was confounding! Though once he passed the swinging banners and finally challenged the Battle Tree, he was extraordinarily successful. He completed ten straight battles easily, and when he felt frustrated and impatient when pitted against a novice trainer whose pokémon happened to have strong defensive moves, he resisted the urge to recklessly force the battle along. Instead, he conducted the experiment by looking up with just his eyes, focusing on the small clouds that drifted by. He counted each cloud that was visible during each match, and calmed down considerably.

When Ghetsis called again, Colress rushed back to the babbling brooks, brushing past confused trainers—he could not remember the last time he had run anywhere, but he absolutely had to report his findings to Ghetsis, and he had to do so from a safe distance! When framed this way, it was not so remarkable. "The techniques you recommended were a success! I won ten battles in a row, wearing down my opponents carefully, without prematurely ending any matches with Explosion or other, similar moves!" Before Ghetsis could answer, Colress mewled in excitement—he could not hold back his giddiness!

An odd noise came through the phone's speaker—it seemed Ghetsis had intentionally muffled whatever response he was about to give, perhaps by covering his mouth with his hand.

"Ghetsis...?"

"Of course, you didn't have to tell me they worked—I knew they would all along,"  
Ghetsis said hastily. "Not that this is not cause for celebration—if you want to celebrate such an unsurprising event, that is… it is obviously your choice."

This was a strange response, but Colress took it in stride. He gestured to himself. "I see you are all discombobulated in my successful, glowing aura! I certainly agree that seeing you so awkward is worthy of celebration!"

"Colress, you...!" Ghetsis snapped, with no anger in his voice. The two of them continued to bicker, the ideal celebratory activity in Colress's mind!

* * *

Colress sat at the little desk in his hotel room, kicking his legs in and out. The sky was a deep magenta, and the clouds were cotton-candy pink. He had not seen a sunset like this since his time in Unova! And even though he had conducted little research, he felt fulfilled and energized as never before! It seemed playing with his friend was a highly beneficial approach! Why, he felt as if he had been targeted by his own Colress Machine! He hoped Ghetsis could share in this experience. "Ghetsis… I failed to articulate this earlier, but it pained me to hear you state that you can't find happiness. Has your opinion changed?"

Ghetsis sighed. "Unfortunately, it has not. I may find I'm happy for a time, but I can see now that I'll be miserable even if I fulfill my intended purpose... but no matter."

"Oh…" Colress put his head down, supporting his chin on his free hand. "Well… surely even you can't remain miserable at this moment, considering you have the privilege of speaking with me!"

"Oh, Colress, no one else makes me as miserable," Ghetsis said, his voice charged with fondness.

Colress's eyes flew open. "I-I don't understand the tone in which you said that…"

"And why is that, Colress?" Ghetsis asked, amused.

"Because your tone undermined the message!"

"Are you certain it undermined it and didn't _add_ to it?"

Colress got out of his chair and stood up to his height. He put one of his arms akimbo, his cheeks undoubtedly pink as the clouds. "Oh, so you're implying _that_ potential meaning was intentional?"

"I have no idea what you're referring to," Ghetsis said, singsong.

"Yes, you do."

"Why, I don't. How can your reasoning be followed when you refuse to speak of this meaning plainly?"

"W-Well, I'm simply saying that if you wish to convince others as I do, the appropriate tone is this…" He turn to the guardrail and gripped it. "You make me miserable, Ghetsis!" he shouted at the landscape. A Trumbeak tweeted in alarm and flew up from the floor below and into the sunset. And to think this species was known as a noisy annoyance! Colress felt another surge of embarrassment—hopefully none of the other guests had heard him!

Ghetsis remained utterly unshaken. "So my feelings are requited?" he said, pretending to be touched.

"I-I didn't intend for you to read _that_ into—oh, never mind. Yes, I suppose I do," Colress said softly.

A companionable silence fell over them like a silky blanket. The sunset was now a purple-to-magenta gradient, and the final marigold rays of the sun were slipping behind the pools of Brooklet Hill.

Ghetsis broke the silence. "...I... must return to my room shortly," he murmured. "The nurses are restless tonight. I'll... speak with you tomorrow."

"Ah... good night." Colress waited until the call ended, then sighed quietly. He kept gazing into the distance, waiting for night to fall. He saw the flicker of stars appear before entering his room and closing the sliding doors, but he did not draw the curtains. Even after he finally curled up in bed, he continually glanced back at the night sky.


	7. Chapter 7

The next few days passed like the scenes of a single sweet dream. The people of Alola prided themselves on the region's friendly, relaxed, and interesting temperament, and Colress could finally see it for himself! He was also highly productive—he studied how this morph of Raichu developed its new abilities in order to surf over Palossand, only for the predator to prey on their weakness to ghost-type moves, reorganized the data he collected on pokémon with little potential calling on pokémon with greater potential for assistance, and attempting to decode the radio signals he recorded from Staryu. Throughout these ventures, Colress photographed interesting and amusing sights he stumbled upon and sent them to Ghetsis for them to discuss. He realized they should have formed a friendship when they first met, as opposed to their initial undefined bond. Their current, combined discourse was so entertaining, it was like a dam had burst!

He was sitting on the soft grass, in the shade of Konikoni City's lighthouse, looking below the cliffs and into the sea. The ocean blushed with the myriad of Corsola and the Luvdisc who made homes in their branches. Occasionally, a Mareanie would come by, causing the other pokémon to scatter in a fast-moving cloud—it looked like Persim berry powder had been scattered among the waves.

"My first drawing is complete," said Ghetsis. "Having the references you sent was very helpful. I'm assuming you'd like to see it after you pestered me into exploring leisure?"

"Yes! If you'd like, please send it to me—I'm excited to criticize your faulty perspective, in more ways than one!" Even though there was no need to type anything, Colress excitedly fluttered his fingers against his console.

"You can say whatever you want, my friend, just be aware that I won't be listening!" Ghetsis said, amused.

Colress received the email with a scan of the drawing attached. He opened the file—the drawing showed a Breeder with a long braid watering a patch of flowers, which were clearly based on the yellow flowers of Melemele Meadow. The water flowing from the watering can was precisely rendered with streaks of hatching, with a blank area indicating light reflecting straight at the viewer. Behind the Breeder lay a field, the blades of the tall grass curved and swaying in the wind. Two Mareep were playing amid the grass, one hopping into the air while the other watched with an impressed look. In the background were hazy hilltops that were hatched-in, without outlines. This entire pastoral scene was surrounded by a border of intricate columns with a Flabébé theme. The bottom of the border contained a rectangular space with text inside. The caption read, "Sunshine" in proud lettering, apparently the title of the drawing. Colress was starstruck, and words escaped him!

"The color scheme would consist of pastel yellows with a few touches of cool colors—it would be ideal if I used dyes or watercolors, but this paper is of such low-quality, it would damage the drawing… I would have to trace it, but I don't have access to the necessary materials," said Ghetsis. "Here, the staff claim to use art as a therapeutic activity, but any true artist imprisoned here must be screaming in frustration. Well, actually, I'm fairly pleased. The optimistic subject of my artwork successfully convinced the nurses my condition is beginning to improve! Thank you for suggesting this activity, my friend—I'm very grateful."

"I-I must admit… this is a marvelous work, even in black-and-white, without the optimal materials," Colress said, breathlessly. "Other than finding watercolor paint, what else will you do once you free yourself, other than accomplishing your dreams of conquest?"

Ghetsis gasped theatrically. "And no sarcastic comments out of you? What a wonderful present." A shuffling noise came through the speaker. "I'm still expected to produce an heir—unfortunately, though my daughters were nothing but dutiful all their lives, grooming that freak for my benefit, my heir must be male and part of the Harmonia bloodline. I must either select or have a woman worthy of becoming queen chosen for me beforehand, of course. You'll cackle—or giggle, more accurately—at this, but I used to fantasize about my future marriage often whenever I was subjected to long hours of studying alone. That dream seemed beautiful to me, and I considered my ideal wife and wedding ceremony."

"I see… it's unfortunate you'll have to put resources into another child, though I suppose you're accustomed to it..." said Colress, fiddling with a patch of clover. The memory of long days spent experimenting with needles, magnetism, and electricity alone while his parents left him unattended on business trips arose in his mind, but he quickly shook himself out of it. "Oh, why would I giggle at your hope? That is an understandable fantasy, considering the importance of bonds to humans and pokémon… though I notice you you referred to your daydreaming in the past tense—do you still long to be wed to your ideal woman, or is the thought no longer as appealing?"

There was a lull in the conversation. Colress listened to the sounds of ships and the bustle of the city behind him as he waited for Ghetsis to answer. "...The thought of it is—I mean, I have a great deal of other thoughts to consider," said Ghetsis. Colress was about to tell him that did not fully answer the question, but Ghetsis cut him off. "I must leave now."

"Already? How frustrating! May we talk again this evening?"

"Yes… of course. Farewell." Ghetsis hung up.

Colress put his phone away. He wondered what the lighthouse looked like at night—he would have to visit this place again and watch the light show. He saved Ghetsis's drawing before leaving the field and heading back through the busy city street.

* * *

Ghetsis more than made up for the abrupt end to the afternoon call when he called Colress back that evening—they spoke long into the night and covered a myriad of different topics. Colress was half-prepared for sleep, wearing only his underclothes, lying in bed on top of his blanket, with his cell phone pressed closed to his cheek even though it was on "speaker." The illumination from the phone screen and the moonlight filtering in through the windows were the only sources of light in the hotel room.

"I see you've long since run out of pressing questions for me, yet you always call—how _sweet_ of you," Colress said.

"But everything about you is questionable, my friend!" said Ghetsis.

"That is true, and it is how I should always be… the benefits of my approach are invaluable! I should give you instructions!" Colress nestled his head deeper into his pillow. "You know you do not have to continue referring to me as 'my friend,' don't you? Or do you simply enjoy reminding us of our friendship?"

"After all that's happened, yes," said Ghetsis. "...Every time I feel like I might finally be content, something outside of my control takes that contentedness away from me. So it naturally follows that I'd want to remind myself of this development."

"Oh…" Colress looked up at the moon. "Well, there may be many unknowns in this world, and many questions that don't have answers, unfortunately. But you can rest assured in the knowledge that our friendship is a constant!" His eyes were wide open and his pulse was racing, despite the late hour!

At first, Colress could not hear Ghetsis reply. But slowly, a quiet hum, or perhaps a purring sound became just barely audible. Colress turned up the volume—it was indeed Ghetsis purring very softly.

If Colress's heart had been racing before, now it was at lightspeed! He shot up in bed. His fingers fluttered against his sheets, and so he clenched his hands into tight fists, a futile attempt to contain his burst of energy. In the process, his phone flew out of his hand. The _clack_ it made as it hit the hardwood made him start! Colress whirled around and reached out, then gingerly lifted the phone back up. He placed it in front of him, where it was cradled by his now-wrinkled blanket.

"C-Colress!" Ghetsis's said, too loudly. He took several heavy, labored breaths before continuing, more quietly, "Did you throw down your phone?"

"I-I did accidentally drop it." Colress put his hands to his chest and tried to calm himself, but he could not collect his thoughts. He felt as if his mind were a giant puzzle that had been disassembled, its pieces scattering everywhere! "What was that sound you made?! It caught me off guard!"

Ghetsis made a strangled noise, like words were refusing to leave his throat. "...Tell me… what is so unpleasant about my making some… sound… of surprise?"

Colress tightened his grip on his undershirt. "I… it..." He searched for the right puzzle piece, found nothing, and settled on a high-pitched noise.

Something collided with the desk Ghetsis was sitting at, resulting in a _thump_. "What about the sounds you keep making? You never make them in front of anyone but me—it's always been like this. Do you want to embarrass me?" he spoke in a hushed tone, clearly suppressing the urge to shout.

"You are—th-things are different with you, that's the way it's always been, and we both know it now!" Colress's mouth started quivering, and his face was red hot. He swallowed hard. "The sound you made was… interesting, but… it was not unpleasant, Ghetsis." Colress brought his hands down to caress the cell phone.

Ghetsis gasped. All was silent for a few electrifying seconds. "Well then… I should confess that the mewling sounds you make are… also never unpleasant."

Colress sighed. He wished Ghetsis were brave enough to do more than reword his own confession, even if that was a hypocritical thought. Though, what else was there to say—nothing important, most likely! They had already been so heartfelt as of late. "Of-Of course they are not unpleasant. They are adorable, as I am the embodiment of the concept."

Ghetsis snorted. "If your arrogance is so great, why do you feel the urge to continually flatter yourself?"

"I'm not flattering myself, I'm simply bestowing myself with the praise all must see I deserve." Colress smiled. "I believe we both need to sleep, and that this need is altering our behavior."

"You are right… and exhaustion must explain the noise I made. It is rather late, and I must return to my room before anyone becomes suspicious," said Ghetsis. "Good night, Colress."

"Ah, sleep well." Colress put his phone into sleep mode. He felt his scattered thoughts converge into a single desire as he slipped under the covers and curled up, letting the softness envelop him. He carefully put his glasses on the nightstand, and although he knew it was inadvisable, he ended up resting his head against the phone as he embraced sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

After his major breakthroughs in the area of friendship Colress returned to Aether Paradise to reevaluate the bonds not only between the employees and the pokémon they protected, but also those between the employees themselves. After reconciling with Ghetsis, the bond between the president and Guzma had certainly been brought to light! Colress walked with a spring in his step, enjoying the way his shoes' metallic enhancements clicked against the clean surface of the VLFS. He recounted the purpose of his replication study to Ghetsis. Colress kept the cell phone pressed to his cheek with its volume low in order to avoid alerting the Aether employees. The phone screen felt pleasantly warm!

As he took the lift up to the Conservation Area and took in the sight of the lush vegetation of the botanical garden, he could not contain his gleeful anticipation! "My theory that pokémon unleash their full power through bonds with humans is in context! I now know to analyze the bonds between humans themselves," said Colress. "It's all very, very interesting… I'm so glad we have nurtured this bond we share—I love you!" he exclaimed.

"And I love you, Colress," said Ghetsis, his voice filled to the brim with joy. "Why, I've always known you like me… especially now that we're friends, but I never realized you like me this much!"

Colress sprinted down a path glancing at the smiling Corsola on the rocks, but then skidded to a halt. He held the guardrail tightly. "What is this?! Why-Why did you—I said I _loathe_ you! The audio must have been distorted, and the reception—" He paused to collect his thoughts. "Well then, if you love me, you certainly will not be winning any verbal sparring matches with me from this point on!"

"Ah, but that statement wouldn't have followed from your discussion of 'nurturing our bond,' and you know it," Ghetsis said. "Why should I care? Whether I'd said anything or not, it's obvious I love you. There had never been anyone so close to my heart—you're my dear friend!"

Colress made a sound that was the fusion of a mewl and a sigh. "...Oh, I suppose I don't have the heart to deny it when you're saying such pleading, sentimental things. Yes, I do love you, and our singular bond is more precious than words can express!" He fiddled with his collar and buttons, before looking back into the landscaped areas in order to examine the pokémon. "I must conduct my research now—I will send you photographs after I file away the data!"

"How kind of you. Farewell, Colress."

Colress ended the call, and watched a Corsola send bubbles streaming toward a Starmie, who spun its arms as if it were a fan, popping the bubbles and send water droplets flying. As the droplets were falling, the light let in by the massive windows made them resemble glitter, and when they touched the clear pools, little ripples spread out. It was strangely satisfying to see. After gazing at this scene for a while, Colress noticed something wheat-colored in his peripheral vision. He turned to look. Lillie and Moon were standing right behind him. Lillie's eyes were wide and eager, while Moon was stone faced as ever. Colress froze. How long had they been standing there—how much had they heard?! Had they recognized Ghetsis's voice?! But they were smiling—quite happily, it seemed. Relief washed over him—he was safe. Yet something about their excited staring still prevented him from being at ease.

Lillie intertwined her fingers—she looked like someone who had just taken a bite of something overwhelmingly sweet. "I am really happy to see you're feeling better after taking my advice, Doctor Colress! I just knew the friend you mentioned was more than a friend!" She calmed down a bit. "I hope you'll always be able to smile together."

"I don't understand?" Colress glanced down at his feet—he was so taken aback, he felt vertigo setting in. "May I ask to whom are referring, Miss Lillie?"

"Come on, you know I meant your new girlfriend," said Lillie. "You look happier than ever before!"

"That's right!" said Moon. "You're usually somewhat distant, like you're in a different world. Sort of like the Ultra Recon Squad, but in terms of your emotions… I was surprised when Lillie told me you were in love!"

Lillie came closer to Colress. "Doctor Colress, is she a strong trainer like you?"

Colress's mind was still reeling. He was pressing hard on his console's screen, struggling to stay grounded. It did make sense—hearing him profess love for his friend could have sounded like some romantic confession in the mind of a stranger… if only they knew who that friend truly was! His eyes became half-lidded and he fell back into his usual tactics. "I see you don't understand," he said. "I don't have a girlfriend, the-the one I was speaking to, he—"

"Oh!" Lillie cringed. "I'm sorry, we shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Is your boyfriend a strong trainer, Doctor Colress? Could I see him at the Battle Tree? I would love to meet him and show him my full power! I know I couldn't defeat you before, but that's all the more reason for me to keep trying."

"I could battle in a Multi Battle with you as my partner, while Colress battles side-by-side with him!" said Moon. Lillie nodded profusely in reply.

Colress felt himself blush, even though it ought to have been an amusing situation. Questions began to creep into his mind—his urge to study was in full-force. Lillie's ignorance was easily understood, but the Champion herself thought he was in love? What signs were she misreading in order to reach that conclusion? Could these signs include the sort of blush that was spreading across his face at this very moment? He squeezed his eyes shut and hastily adjusted his glasses. It was ridiculous to question their misinterpretation! All that mattered was that they were foolishly convinced of this silly scenario, and that the most convincing lies contain a touch of truth—words Colress had always lived by. "Oh, we met in graduate school… we always had an engaging relationship," he said, in a flat tone. "And we—we only recently became a c-couple, after I listened to Miss Lillie's excellent guidance. Initially, he and I were… overly guarded, and prideful, and Miss Lillie insightfully led me to realize this for myself."

Lillie beamed.

"But you won't be having any pokémon battles against him! He lives in Unova, and the two of us are in a long-distance relationship." Colress pictured the two of them learning this was not his _boyfriend_ , but Ghetsis—imagining their appalled expressions as he and Ghetsis thoroughly corrected them was thrilling! Of course, it was an impossibility, or a least would result in quite a bit of hassle. But perhaps he could lead Moon and Lillie into another situation. He grinned and looked down at them with his eyes only. "Oh, I learned something very interesting recently! Have you heard of the Ultra Beast Nihilego, who can fuse with other beings? It is an interesting case study, considering the research I conduct on the subject of bonds."

"I know, it attaches to its prey and makes them violent," said Moon. "Why do you ask?"

"Well then, I see you are not fully aware! Please, allow me to inform you." Colress gestured to himself flamboyantly. "Nihilego only damage the minds of beings who do not treat them with respect. If the subject—that is, the being treats the Nihilego with kindness, they will fuse together and unleash their full potential, with no ill effects! Unfortunately, the merciless nature of humankind has resulted in too few instances of this phenomenon for me to study. If it's not too much of an inconvenience, may I ask you and Miss Lillie to investigate for me by approaching a Nihilego with compassion?"

Moon and Lillie shared a look. One of them whispered something like, "How strange," before they turned back to him. "Why not?" said Moon. "Thanks for telling us. By the way, I did find a Shiny Staryu, finally!"

"But it preferred to live here with the other Starmie," said Lillie. She looked to another pool, where a silver and blue Staryu was splashing around with its evolution. "Seeing it playing so happily was the best gift Moon could have given me!"

Moon grinned, and she took Lillie by the hand. The two of them bid Colress alola and walked away together, almost skipping as they walked. Colress watched their every move until they were out of sight. He mindlessly typed on his console, not certain what findings he was even recording. Later, he would likely look back at these notes and find them impenetrable, but it did not matter. As he wandered through the beautiful labyrinth that was the Conservation Area, he thought about his lies. Had he spun them in order to punish them for their infraction? If yes, what infraction was it…? What unspoken law had they broken? Why was he so flustered by their childish misunderstanding of his friendship? No, no, that was all impossible. His actions were only to amuse himself by preying on their ignorance in order to gain an interesting new subject for study!

* * *

A few days later, Colress finished another long winning streak at the Battle Tree, this time participating in Multi Battles. This was an excellent method for gaining a lot of data about a trainer's strategies in a short amount of time, and fit cleanly into the new direction of his research! He had been battling alongside Anabel, a high-ranking member of INTERPOL. Colress could not help but grin occasionally while battling beside her, soaking in the irony—he had stayed out of the public eye during his time leading Team Plasma, and that trainer he had tested still trusted him enough to never report him even after learning of his unlawful activities! His little gifts had served him well, as always!

Colress stood outside the Battle Tree, beside the PC. He filed away his findings on Anabel—she specialized in high offense. She was quite the powerful trainer, who even had legendary pokémon under her control! However, he had discovered something else very interesting, not about her, but about himself—while battling, he wished he could have stood with Ghetsis instead, even though he already knew him well and did not need to continue studying him. No, this longing resulted from their friendship. Ghetsis was the only one who could understand his true self, and thus Colress's full potential was only unleashed through their bond! It was very interesting, and his heart as imbued with pride at the thought. After typing up his notes, walked away from the Battle Tree. The little waterfalls and the flora were tinged with gold, as the sun was beginning to set. He was passing the sign when he noticed Guzma was loitering beside it. Colress suppressed the urge to sigh and kept smiling, knowing it was only polite and logical to speak to him after how strangely he had acted the last time they had met, especially since he had obviously noticed him.

Colress was in the middle of turning to say something to him when Guzma punched him in the arm! "How rude!" Colress pulled his arm away and felt his console for damages. The parts were intact. "You should know that there is delicate equipment in my Achromatic Wearable Console!"

Guzma smirked. "Achromatic Wearable Console, huh? That's the stupid thing that let you take a punch from big bad Guzma?"

Colress's mouth was open slightly, in a look of dull surprise. "What's this?! How have I offended you? Why would you be so uncouth as to resort to violence? Oh, if you were angered by my earlier behavior, you'll have to forgive me for my rudeness. The issue I was faced with has been resolved." There was no better time to resort to flattery. "Your advice was invaluable."

"Yeah, I know! Why else would I be congratulating you, Skull style?" said Guzma. "Anyway, good job comin' out of the closet and embracing your gay side."

"Oh." So Lillie and Moon had spread the "news" he had found a boyfriend—he was again glad he had sent them off on an impossible quest. They deserved it for their carelessness! Colress's smile dropped slightly, but he quickly willed it back. "I'm glad you're happy for me," he said, out of obligation, "but while I have a b-boyfriend now, I'm not gay."

"Whaddya mean, not gay? If two guys are into each other, it's gay! Your lookin' like a girl just proves it."

Colress quirked an eyebrow. He glared down at Guzma, whose slouched posture was an accurate representation of his pathetic character. "Stop saying such things before you embarrass yourself further. The simplicity of your worldview is astounding, I see. Why, I'm not even a man!" He reached for one of his Colress Machines—now, which one would be most fitting?

"Sayin' you're not a man is just what some feminine gay guy would say!" Guzma kept his head down—Colress realized he was watching his body language, waiting for him to pull out a weapon so he could disarm him and counterattack. Colress placed his hand on his Colress Machine No. 4, but then put it back. Fighting a thug like Guzma would only lead to unfortunate results—his inventions could be broken beyond repair, and anyone with close ties to Guzma would be disposed to distrust Colress from that point onward. He would have to walk away dissatisfied, without making Guzma writhe in agony for his words and deeds—how unfortunate!

Colress sneered. "I must reiterate that you are in error, but I will leave you to it." Colress spun on his heel and hurriedly stormed off. Once he as out of sight, he let himself frown shallowly. How unfair it all was! He stayed close by the sea as he passed the rocky outcroppings of Poni Island. The waves were choppy, and the golden sunlight glinted off the water. He decided to pay Seafolk Village a visit—he wanted to be close to the sea.

He reached the village in good time—the sun was still not close to the horizon, and the sky was a rosy hue. He walked to the end of the docks and sat down at the edge, watching the water beneath him alternate between sinking and swelling. Behind him, people were laughing and chatting with each other, and there were spherical lanterns in many different colors strung between the houseboats. He knew that soon, it would be too dim for his console's cameras to capture the moment, so he quickly took a few photographs of this event and emailed them to Ghetsis, using pastel green stationary with a Shaymin design.

As Colress had hoped, Ghetsis noticed the message, for his cell started beeping! He picked up and felt a surge of relief—he could finally express the full range of his emotions! "If it is not inconvenient for you, may I rant about what I was subjected to today?"

"Rant, you say…? How uncharacteristic of you. Of course I'd love to bear witness to your rage!"

"Splendid." Colress was ready to leap into the context of how others assumed the two of them were a couple—how amusing it would be for the two of them to laugh about the misconception together! But he felt some strange pressure in his chest. He could not fathom why, but he decided to gloss over that aspect. "Today, an unruly trainer told me that because I'm feminine—already a flawed construct created by an oppressive system—I must be gay, and he said that my appearance and mannerisms prove it!" He brought his knees close to his face, letting the weight material of his console drape over them.

"Did you correct him thoroughly?" Ghetsis asked, full of anticipation.

Colress bit his lip slightly and pouted. "I longed to, but it would have resulted in trouble due to his connections. I told him off, but couldn't use my Colress Machine No. 4 on him..."

"Such a shame, you know how I love to watch you use it on hapless fools." Colress could picture Ghetsis's little smirk. It was so ad—abhorable to imagine! "I trust this isn't the full extent of your rage?"

"Oh yes, there is far more of it! It is offensive enough that he and others assume I'm gay, but I have also had enough of the base assumptions behind such assertions!" Colress snapped. He drummed his fingers against the wood of the dock. "I simply can't stand that the public values 'love' and 'romance,' yet nearly unanimously agrees that it is acceptable for individuals to base who they love on gender! Gender is simply a fabrication created by human beings. If love is such a pure connection, why should anything _fake_ be a deciding factor?! I wonder how many supposedly-loving people would abruptly leave their partners if their genders were suddenly different?!"

"My word, I've never before heard you recite such an angry speech…" He sounded impressed! "Who hurt you, Colress?"

"Oh…" The words, "There's this lady who's just perfect for you!" rang in his head. "...my parents, perhaps."

"Myah-ha-ha, then we're in the same boat!" Ghetsis coughed. "It seems the definitions of identity politics are to blame… your troubles have a storied history. For instance, when societies have integrated genders beyond the standard binary, such as a third gender, the people of those genders have usually been forced into a fixed class for other members of the culture to use. In Japan, for instance, a class was built around the concepts of..."

Ghetsis was highly knowledgeable about the formation of gender in other cultures, particularly during the 19th century! It was very interesting! Colress knew he should not be surprised—after all, if Ghetsis intended to rule a nation through pulling the strings of the public, he would have to understand how the characteristics of the marginalized were preyed upon by mainstream society. He said as much, and the two of them soon shifted to an entirely different line of thinking, and another, and another...

Colress pushed himself up to a standing position in order to stretch his legs. He gasped as he looked to the horizon—the sun was nowhere to be seen, and the moon was rising in the powderpuff blue sky, its yellow light fuzzy behind a soft green cloud. He felt like he had blinked and it had immediately transitioned from sunset to evening in an instant! "Oh! It's already so late?!"

There was a pause and quiet rustling, as if Ghetsis was turning to look at something—a clock, most likely. "My word… it's been hours," he said, dazed.

Colress felt heat rise to his face. "Yes, it-it has..." The waves were gentle now, glittering with tender moonlight. "Oh, I wish you could see the wonderful seascape I'm looking at right now… I know a photo can't capture it."

Ghetsis made a small, questioning sound. "Well now, can you describe it?"

"The multitude of blues and the sparkling moonlight brushed over the waves cause it to look resemble something out of a fairy world."

"I'm reminded of a painting by Jean Delville," said Ghetsis. "You say I should embrace the arts, but you have such a grand way with words yourself—your intensive descriptions are more intricate than the most wondrous finery! Perhaps that is… why I lose track of time talking to you," he said, shyness coloring his voice.

Colress spun around and made a small sound! "Well, j-just listen to yourself speak! And I could just as easily compel you to become a scientist—after all, you created that program that would affect all the PCs in a region and cause them to release pokémon en masse… that was incredible! Your intelligence and way with words ensure our conversations are time w-well spent..." His cheeks were doubtlessly dusted with pink now! "Now that I think about it, you didn't mention whether or not you agree with my theory about falling in love transcending the modern concept of identity."

"I can agree with it, yes."

"You do? Ah, I mean—of course, the truth of my statements is evident!" Colress walked toward the single tree that grew at the village's heart. The full moon looked like it could fit right in, strung side-by-side with the lanterns. "Still! Inform me of your reasons. Is it because the classical literature you've studied takes different approaches? Because love flourishes due to many unknown factors, which may be entirely separate from gender?"

"Certainly, those are factors," said Ghetsis. "But mainly I agree with your theory because I… because… I—" He stopped abruptly.

Colress slowly traversed the area around the tree, watching people disperse and return to their houseboats. It looked like whatever event it had been was now over, leaving a peaceful calm to fall over the village. He could hear the sea sloshing gently beneath him—the sound must help the citizens fall asleep! Ghetsis was not responding, so Colress tried again. "Excuse me, are you still there? Did the line go dead?" He turned up the volume, knowing no one was around to eavesdrop. He could hear a faint scratching sound, along with heavy breathing—was Ghetsis clawing at the desk? "Are you there—are you feeling ill? Ghetsis...?"

"I'm still here, I just—I mean, someone was passing the library door," Ghetsis said, his voice deep, yet raspy.

"Oh? But I didn't hear footsteps! Are you cer—"

"Don't you dare question me!" Ghetsis slammed something against the desk.

Colress flinched away from the phone. "What's gotten into you?! You should know not to shout!"

"...My apologies…" he answered, weakly.

Colress leaned over and touched the treebark, which was illuminated with different colors. "Please forgive me if I sounded harsh. I only want to know if you're all right."

"Don't apologize—you're wonderful..." he said, in a voice so quiet Colress could barely hear it even with the phone's volume at its maximum. "I mean to say, nothing has changed! Don't let this add to your troubles—I don't want you to think about this anymore!"

"Excuse me when I say, none of that sounded reassuring."

"I suppose not."

"But when you say nothing has changed, do you mean that…?"

"Yes."

"And you don't want me to ask you how you're feeling? Would you prefer that I change the subject?"

"Yes!"

Colress turned away from the tree and approached a vacant lot. It was highly uncharacteristic of Ghetsis shut himself away like a Cloyster. But forcing his hand might result in more pain, and he did not want to add to his friend's troubles. He gave in. "Well then… if you truly think so, there was something else I wanted to discuss tonight. I've been analyzing the bonds between humans and the effects of human interpersonal relationships on the potential of pokémon… but this research doesn't feel exciting anymore. I'm beginning to reach another low point in my study—I've explored every inch of Alola. I need help deciding what to do next."

Ghetsis thought this over. "...Why don't you infiltrate the Aether Foundation and study their Type: Null experiments? Wasn't that pokémon based on the potential of Arceus itself? And I already know you're an _excellent_ thief…"

"Oh, what an interesting idea! I've already earned the trust of Aether's new Branch Chief and the Ultra Recon Squad, so it should be easy!" He smiled ruefully, glad Ghetsis was at least attempting to return to his normal manner of speaking. But his knowledge of some underlying issue made it bittersweet. He looked to the moon, which was now blurry and at its peak in the deep night sky. "I'm very grateful to you, Ghetsis. I hope you'll be able to enjoy our strategizing together..."


	9. Chapter 9

Colress tried to lift Ghetsis's spirits through plotting with him, but as the strategizing brought the two of them even closer, Ghetsis's stress only seemed to worsen. He would give valuable input when Colress discussed Aether Paradise's floor plans, but then give single-word responses when Colress asked him how he was feeling. He could give impromptu lectures about sociology, but would only cough when Colress playfully teased him.

Finally, Colress stood on the white surface of the VFLS, which looked bright blue in the light of the waning moon. "I'll enter now—call me at midnight if you can."

"I will. Good luck, Colress—I hope this revivifies your love of study."

"Thank you, I believe it will!" Colress smiled sadly. "Oh, and I hope you'll feel better—"

"Farewell." Ghetsis hung up.

Colress sighed and entered the main building, his eyes downcast. He had to close then for a moment when he went inside in order to adjust to his surroundings—the cold air and fluorescent light was a bit shocking compared to the warm night. Once he was ready, he smiled at the employees working the front desks, then went up to the public PC. He withdrew one of his new pokémon, the one Ghetsis had recommended for this task—a Starmie he had caught while tagging its pre-evolved form. Over the past few days, he had EV-trained it in order to shape it for this task.

Colress surveyed they area—other than the two employees at the front desks, there were a handful on patrol. None of the scientists who worked in the basement levels were in sight, which made this the optimal moment to strike. Colress knew he was a welcome guest at the Paradise, so he walked to the edge of the elevator platform and pressed the buttons that would take him to the Conservation area. He had to act quickly, as he only had a few seconds' time. Ghetsis had explained to him that Poké Ball disruptors of the kind used in the Conservation Area could not work through flooring, so just before the platform reached the higher level, Colress quickly sent out his pokémon. It seemed none of the employees below could see Starmie through the platform—excellent!

The Conservation Area was dark, as it was lit by natural light. The Corsola were fast asleep, and the Staryu and Starmie were lighting up their cores. No employees were in sight, as there was no maintenance to be done that night. Colress's own Starmie looked over to the blinking lights, but he put his foot down beside it, making it clear it should not move. Colress activated his invisibility device before taking the platform back to the first floor. He then stepped off the platform, anticipating chaos.

A few seconds later, his Starmie used Rapid Spin and flew off the platform like a spinning discus, just as he had instructed it to do! The Aether Employees gasped and chased after it, but could not keep up!

"How did a Starmie escape the Conservation Area?!" one of them shouted. "Go, Dugtrio! Slow it down with your Tangling Hair—!" He sent out his pokémon, and while Starmie did slow down after hitting Dugtrio, Starmie immediately stood up and used Scald, knocking out Dugtrio and hitting delicate equipment with the stream of boiling water! As it had been trained to do, it even attacked the employees working the desks, causing them to flee.

"Why did it even need our help when it's this powerful…?" asked an employee with a Lurantis. Upon seeing her grass-type pokémon, Starmie spun through the front entrance, leading all of the employees outside, save one. This straggler ran toward the platform—Colress carefully took a few steps forward until he was beside him. The employee inputted a security code, and the two of them took the platform down to the basement level. Success!

One of the masked Aether scientists stood waiting in the basement. "A breakout?"

"That's right, we need your Magneton—it can slow the Starmie down with Thunder Wave!" said the employee.

Colress sidestepped the two of them and entered the nexus. He watched the employees head up to the first floor—finally, Colress was free to do as he pleased in the hidden laboratories! He entered one of the branching halls, the resounding thrum of air ventilation ringing in his ears. Finding the lab that housed the confidential documents on Type: Null was a simple task—the small lab room was easily accessible. He peered through the glass door in order to confirm no one was within, then tried the door, which swung open. They did not even lock up these rooms! It was so easy! He went inside and closed the door tight. Before him stood a shelf that reached to the ceiling, full of little drawers and compartments. Through its blue-toned transparent medium, he could see frozen pokémon-related specimens—remnants of Lusamine's collection. He shut off his invisibility device, knowing that his cameras could not function properly with it on due to the invisibility tricking their sensors. He leafed through files he found in a cabinet in the corner—there were several folders bursting with information about the development of the RKS System and the failure of Type: Null… oh, Type: Full! The most recent documents were dated quite recently, and detailed the discovery of the pokémon Silvally, who appeared to be a Type: Null brought to its full potential through friendship, mitigating the berserk nature caused by the implementation of the RKS System. It was the perfect case study for his research! Ghetsis had been so kind to suggest this heist and help him plan… if only Ghetsis could be happy himself, it would increase Colress's happiness immeasurably.

Colress photographed each page, then opened the photos on his console screen in order to ensure the text was readable. There were no security cameras in this area—apparently, the Aether Foundation wished to hide its unethical research from many of its own members as well as the outside world, which he could respect. He put everything away, ensuring everything appeared undisturbed, then approached the door. He opened it quickly, revealing Intern Faba! He was carrying a mop and bucket.

"...Really, how could they reduce the new and improved Faba to the role of a janitor?" Faba grumbled. "Don't they know I only—" He turned his head toward Colress. "Aiyee! You've even stolen this floor from me?! Know-nothings like you aren't allowed in these rooms!"

Colress opened his mouth slightly, feigning surprise and confusion. "Why, I have no idea what you mean! The Ultra Recon Squad requested I research Ultra Beasts, and told me I must visit the basement floor of this building in order to do so effectively."

Faba's eyes narrowed. He held the mop directly parallel to his body, as if it were a blade."And why would _they_ have the access codes?"

"Perhaps Branch Chief Wicke informed them?"

"Indeed… Ms. Wicke would invite just anyone down here." He pointed down the hall, back toward the nexus, his bucket swaying in the process. Some dirty water sloshed over the rim and onto the metal flooring. How careless! "B-But you ought not be in this room! There is nothing on Ultra Beasts in here! Only an old project of mi—th-there is nothing of import in here!"

Colress grinned lopsidedly as he looked down at him. "I appreciate your informing me! You are highly intelligent! Did you know I believe you should be awarded a much higher position in this organization? You do such amazing work."

"R-R-Really?" Faba's eyes watered. "I mean, such an astute thought! This must be why everyone likes you!"

"How flattering! Ah, I was wondering—if it's not an inconvenience, may I have a tour of this area? I've desired one for some time, but there is no potential guide as well-informed as you!" Was withstanding this sniveling malcontent's presence worth it for the opportunity to examine more of Aether's hidden resources? Colress supposed it was—he knew he would likely not be given another chance for quite a while. He could easily neutralize Faba if midnight approached, after all.

"Hmm…" Faba scratched at his goatee, pretending to carefully consider the offer. However, it was obvious from the look in his eyes that he had already decided to accept. "Well… a researcher like you could benefit from the tutelage of the new and improved Faba. Follow me." He led Colress out of the room, walking toward another pocket-sized laboratory. The mop slipped from his grasp. The handle fell to the floor with a _clang_! "Ah!" he exclaimed, but his voice sounded dull and emotionless. He put down the bucket and knelt down to pick up the mop, hiding his hands from Colress's view as he did so.

"Why did you intentionally drop that, _Intern_ Faba? How unhygienic!" said Colress. His grin widened. "Oh, what could you be hiding…?" Nothing was more amusing than observing others attempting his own tactics and failing miserably!

"H-H-Hiding?! I'm not hiding anything!" Faba hastily picked up the mop, accidentally hitting the bucket in the process. "I mean, if I were to hide something, I would do so far more successfully."

"Of course. Your genius knows no bounds." The urge to roll his eyes was palpable! Colress maneuvered around Faba in a crescent, looking everything over carefully. He could not see any out-of-place objects. How odd. He cut past Faba, not wanting to listen to his continued blathering. In his peripheral vision, he saw a flash of orange! He spun back around.

Faba gestured toward him. "Use Nuzzle!"

First Colress's back, then his entire body, became engulfed by searing pain! He crumpled over and fell to the floor, his body experiencing residual twitching as the sensation subsided. Fortunately, since he was used to mishaps with electronics, and was unharmed. Wait—his electronics! He slowly looked up from the floor—the displays of his console had gone dark. He pulled out his cell phone and frantically pressed its buttons, but it would not turn on. "My phone! But that is the only way I can talk to—" He covered his mouth.

Faba laughed. "Oh ho, I told you I would only hide something using the utmost skill, yet you doubted me! Yes, yes, your phone… I heard those clicking noises coming from inside the laboratory! I knew you were using it to take photographs, and as the Aether Foundations's last line of defense, I had to short it out immediately!" He looked up at the fluorescent lights. "Now that I've proven my bravery and skill without a doubt, I'll be promoted beyond the rank of even Branch Chief! Why, I could become…"

Colress tuned him out. He adjusted his glasses and pushed himself up off the floor before standing to his full height. He rarely gave his tall stature much thought, but seeing his ghostly shadow fall over Faba was oddly satisfying. Colress pulled out his original Colress Machine—each of his Colress Machines had built-in voltage protection. Without taking his eyes off his real target, he pointed the Colress Machine at the Alolan Raichu who was hovering behind him and pressed the button. The pokémon let out a whimper and fell like a stone, its tail curling up to cover its body.

Faba whirled around when he heard it drop. "What in the name of—"

Colress could not resist utilizing his superior strength and stature! He stepped forward and shoved Faba, his hand right over his solar plexus. He slammed him against the nearest wall. "Intern Faba, I always thought you had a low level of energy. Now that will be made clear!" Colress took out his device and held its antenna up to Faba's neck. He pressed the button, holding it down for an inordinate length of time.

Colress released his hold on Faba, whose body slid down the metal wall until it reached the bottom. He fell forward and his chin hit the floor. It appeared that he was drooling a little. He was so vulnerable, like a baby Kangaskhan lost outside its mother's pouch! Colress lifted one leg—he could not resist some additional entertainment. He put his foot down on Faba's back, then moved it up to his neck. He would not end his life, but Faba's suffering was a nice distraction from the careless loss of his phone, and by extension…

As soon as his cold metal heel touched Faba's neck, Faba let out a blood curdling scream! The Colress Machine apparently did not reduce his ability to shriek! Colress took his foot off him and stepped back, but it was too late—in the nexus, the elevator had activated. None other than Lusamine and Lillie were taking the platform down to the basement, and they were staring right at him.

"What in the world are you doing to Mr. Faba?!" Lillie covered her mouth in horror.

As soon as the platform touched the floor, Lusamine lunged forward without a word. She halted at Faba. Lillie rushed after her, but Lusamine moved to shield her and Faba's body from Colress. "How will you try and fail to explain this terrible scene?!" she snapped.

"There's no reason to be upset! I simply stumbled upon Intern Faba, who fainted for no apparent reason."

"He lies!" shouted Faba. His head turned slightly, but the rest of him remained immobile. "Didn't you see his foot on my neck?! He is the nastiest scientist I've ever met—even more so than you, President! N-Not that your meanness is a detriment, President—"

"Enough," said Lusamine. "Colress, as the president of this foundation, I can't allow you to cause such chaos, let alone break in and attack my employees!" She took out an Ultra Ball, so Colress responded in kind.

"Mother! Be careful!" said Lillie.

Colress openly sneered. His facade had already become transparent, so there was no reason to hold anything back! "Well then, you're certainly saying confusing things! Calling Lusamine your mother…? But Professor Burnet is your actual mother!" he told Lillie. "And Lusamine, why would you cite your position as the president of Aether? Why, you haven't deserved such a position for quite a while now..."

Lusamine looked over toward Lillie, who turned away and tilted her head down. Lusamine shook her head and glared back at Colress with additional resolve. "...While I can't be a mother to Gladion and Lillie, and I'm not worthy of being president, I learn from my mistakes, unlike you! I can recognize that ugly glint in your eyes, for I once had it..." She walked forward, her heels tapping against the shining floor as she did so.

Lillie took out a Poké Ball of her own. "You don't have to do this alone—I can use my power to help you."

"Oh, Lillie… you are strong and beautiful. But facing a foe like Colress might require unattractive tactics. Assist Intern Faba." Lusamine's grin resembled a tilted crescent moon.

Lillie nodded and sent out her Comfey, whose flowers shook at the sight of Colress.

"You know, you failed to stop Team Rainbow Rocket's invasion." Colress's grin mirrored hers. "I can draw out my pokémon's power even more effectively than the evil boss of that team! Neutralizing your pokémon will be a simple procedure."

"You're a stronger trainer, but you didn't help us fight any of the leaders…? You are awful!" said Lillie.

Before Colress could ready a retort, Faba interrupted him. "Hmph. This drama is undoubtedly interesting, but serves no purpose," he said. "President, punish this miscreant!"

Without another word, Lusamine threw her Poké Ball. In a flash, her Lilligant appeared and performed a mid-air flip before landing elegantly before her. Colress sent out his Magnezone—he had been anticipating her Clefable, but this would be more interesting!

"Magnezone, use Charge Beam." Perhaps he could bring out his pokémon's full power immediately, then sweep her entire team! Magnezone spun its magnets faster, preparing the attack.

"Use Stun Spore." Lusamine nodded to her pokémon. Lilligant leaped into the air and spread its leaves, releasing a golden cloud of little sparks. Nothing happened. Magnezone released its pulse of energy and sniped Lilligant, who flinched but staying standing. The excess energy powered-up Magnezone.

"I have difficulty believing that an environmental scientist like yourself would forget that electric-type pokémon cannot be paralyzed!" said Colress. Even though his console had been shorted out, he mimed typing.

Lusamine's grin widened. "Why would you assume I was aiming for your pokémon?"

The cloud of spores descended on Colress's face! He held up his arms and walked backwards down the hall while keeping his eyes on the pokémon.

"Now, use Teeter Dance!" Lilligant swayed and bounced before Colress could turn away. The hallway and the people inside it seemed to shimmer and blur as if he were underwater! His arms dropped, and then he found only his eyes could move. He heard voices echoing, as if the people speaking were located on a distant mountain range. "Return. Now, look away, Lillie!" A bright ball of light appeared, then vanished, and soon a black and pink blur replaced it. The blur grew closer, until Colress could make out the beady eyes and white ears of a Bewear. The Bewear's arms became engulfed by violet flame, before it struck Colress in each side. He heard himself yell, but he still could not regain control. The Bewear locked him in a tight hold, and reports of this species snapping the spines of trainers came to mind, but he could not struggle. He watched the ceiling grow closer as he was flung into the air, then become distant again as he fell… all the lights overpowered him as he whited out.

* * *

Colress's eyes flew open. He was sitting in a white space, unable to look around. Was he in the throes of sleep paralysis? He moved his eyes around, searching for detail. Eventually, the white light diminished, and he realized he was in the very room he had first broken into. The door stood before him. Through the frosted glass panel, he noticed Lusamine, Lillie, and Faba in the midst of conversation. Colress tried to get up and try the door, but his body was leaden and stiff. His fingers and toes twitched, and he immediately felt pins and needles piercing his skin. He was still suffering the effects of Stun Spore! Did Ghetsis experience this sensation all the time, considering his partial facial paralysis—wait! Colress wrenched his head around, clenching his teeth from the pain, and got a glimpse of a PC's screen behind him. He checked the clock—as he had feared, it was long past midnight. Even if he repaired his phone instantly, it was impossible for Ghetsis to call at this hour. How would Ghetsis react? Would his recent sadness be amplified by Colress's lateness? Would he be enraged, and rightfully so? Or would Colress be able to explain what had happened, causing Ghetsis to show him tough love over his overconfident behavior? Imagining Ghetsis showing him tough love made Colress's heart sing—only his true friend had ever done such a thing, and he longed for that precious gift now. But how ridiculous this was! He was being held captive, he had lost a battle, his opponents were outside, and his electronics were broken, and he could only think of Ghetsis?

"And how is young Moon?" Lusamine asked Lillie.

"She's still resting in the medical room. I would never have thought Doctor Colress might have wanted her to get stung by that Ultra Beast, but… I don't know anymore… he's acting just like the man who hit me—Ghetsis!"

Colress became attentive at the mention of Ghetsis.

Lillie turned to peer through the glass. "But… I think Doctor Colress is also suffering somehow. When Moon and I last saw him, he seemed so happy. Now, he looks very sad. I think it has something to do with his—"

"If he's unhappy, what does it matter?" Faba asked. "He deserves endless suffering after all he's done!"

"Faba is correct. Colress's actions can't go unpunished," said Lusamine. "A simple reprimand would not be enough."

Lillie was once again the weak link! Colress took out his nonfuctioning phone and looked down at its black screen, hoping Lillie would see him and be consumed by pity.

"Of course he needs to be punished a little… he's been terrible. But he's done many kind things, too." Lillie looked Faba in the eyes. "Mr. Faba, you should understand. We trusted you, and you betrayed us, but we gave you a second chance." She slowly turned to Lusamine. "And… if everyone had decided you were all bad, you wouldn't have learned any of this. Please, listen to me. I'll scold Doctor Colress myself after you let him go."

"You won't listen to her frankly outlandish request, will you, President?" Faba asked.

"Lillie is right. If we turned our backs on everyone who made mistakes, we'd have nothing left to protect." The shadow of Lusamine's hair obscured her eyes. "And I have rejected Lillie's choices too many times in the past… I trust her judgment. She is always right in the end, after all." She strode toward the door, and unlocked it. She waited for Colress to emerge.

Colress shook off the last of the paralysis. Sweat dripped down his forehead—the room was cool, but he felt uncomfortably flushed. He stepped into the hallway, stumbling slightly due to the pulsating pain in his legs. He kept his mouth pressed into a thin line. He knew it was an inappropriate context for his usual smile.

"From this point on, you are banned from Aether Paradise. If you come crawling back, all of my employees will be on high alert!" She held out her hand. "Also, give me your poor Starmie's Poké Ball. That Starmie needs to be under our protection, far away from you."

Colress obediently handed it over. He looked down at his shoes, feigning shame.

"And finally, you are to give us your cell phone. We will retrieve its data and ensure no photos—"

Colress's head snapped back up. "Y-You can't take my phone! How cruel that would be! It's my only method of contacting—" He put his hands over his mouth.

"Your boyfriend?" asked Lillie.

Colress interlaced his fingers and looked askance. "Yes, my... b-boyfriend. Oh, and I did not take any photos with my phone!"

"Such unconvincing lies!" said Faba.

Lillie shook her head. Her eyes were wide and searching. "He's telling the truth. I can tell. I think you've done enough. I can handle everything else myself! I have the strength of a trainer—I've even been training at the Battle Tree. Leave Doctor Colress to me."

Faba tried to protest, but Lusamine hushed him. She dragged Faba off to the platform, with Colress and Lillie following close behind. They took it to the first floor. Lusamine led Faba away—presumably to the medical room, but made one more comment before she was out of earshot. "Colress, leave this place and never return—and if you lay a finger on Lillie, I will silence your forever."

Colress walked out the front entrance, feeling the glares of the wet employees on him. He walked quickly, but Lillie would not stop tailing him! Once he exited the building, the cold air coming off the ocean hit him, hard. It was now colder outside than the air conditioned interior. The moon was nowhere to be seen, and the ocean looked like a black abyss. Lillie ran in front of Colress, taking advantage of the sudden shock. Her arms were crossed. "Doctor Colress, what's happened between you and your boyfriend? Did you two have a fight?"

How could Lillie be so gullible? She still believed Ghetsis was his boyfriend—no, she did not even realize he had been speaking to Ghetsis at all! Even the foundation of her ideas was rotten. "Oh, perhaps," he said. He attempted to push past her. "That must be why I—"

"No, no, you two didn't get into a fight. That's not true." Lillie's eyes narrowed. "Wait… Doctor Colress, have you ever told him you love him?"

"What?" Colress's mouth opened in dull surprise.

Lillie's ponytail was shaking in the cold wind. In the dark, it looked pale blue, like celestine crystal. "My guess is you've never told him how much you love him, and he's suffering because of it… and seeing him suffer makes you sad, too."

Colress's face screwed up as he suppressed a giggle! "It is true, I've only told him I love him as a dear friend! Oh, you're highly perceptive."

"I knew it! Doctor Colress, it's time you stopped running away from your emotions. You can't run forever—it only hurts the ones you love. Don't lash out at others anymore just because you're heartbroken." In a grave voice, she added, "Tell him you're in love with him, please."

His urge to laugh did not return, despite the clear folly of Lillie's words. Instead, Colress's heart beat faster, and his mouth quivered. The wind was becoming unbearable now—it kept blowing his forelock into his eyes. "I-I promise to. Forgive my terrible words and deeds—your hypothesis is correct, of course."

Lillie nodded once in response. It was long past time to leave.

* * *

Colress stayed up until the crack of dawn repairing his cell phone. The Achromatic Wearable Console and the photos stored within its memory could wait—Ghetsis was his top priority. Replacing the phone's shorted battery was a difficult procedure, as was implementing intensive insulation and voltage proofing as an additional safety measure. As soon as he pressed the power button and saw the blessed screen light up and function properly, he promptly fell asleep at his little desk. He woke up at noon, and groaned quietly—his sides were sore, and beginning to bruise. He quickly checked his phone. He had not missed any calls, and so he was simultaneously relieved and uneasy—this meant he had not missed another one of Ghetsis's calls, but it also indicated that Ghetsis had either chosen to skip their morning call, or had somehow been unable to contact him. What if his condition had worsened? Colress hoped Ghetsis had simply slept in, considering he had stayed up late the night before, but he knew that was implausible. Ghetsis had always been an incredibly restless sleeper, who felt relaxation made him vulnerable to attack.

Colress paced large circles around his hotel room. He knew he had to eat breakfast, but his broiling anxiety made the thought nauseating. Eventually, he threw up the white flag and did eat a small salad, but he could barely withstand the sour dressing. As he was eating, his phone rang! He abandoned his plate and picked up. "I'm very glad you called! I'm sorry to say I was caught during the heist, and my phone was shorted out—I longed to speak to you, but it was impossible… oh, I did come away with the photos, of course, but..." He went on to explain his failure to be cautious and what occurred afterward.

Ghetsis let out a hoarse sigh. "You were certainly foolish. Turning your back to the enemy and letting yourself give in to overconfidence are the mistakes of a novice—I should know, after my failures." At first, Colress thought the phone was distorting his voice due to the damage it had endured, but it was not the transmission—his voice had truly deteriorated even further. Colress's heart sank. Ghetsis continued, "I'm glad you escaped with minimal injuries, but remember to check on your bruises often. Use your Achromatic Wearable Console to heat those areas and increase blood flow… do you promise to take this advice?"

Colress blushed—there was an example of increased blood flow! "Of course! You know, the Type: Null documents were indeed an ideal contribution to my research. You were correct! I deeply appreciated your help… you were so kind."

"I'm glad to have been of service to you..."

"Oh." He did not want Ghetsis to become some tool for him to utilize! "Yes, yes… and I hope you are happy, as well. I was concerned when you didn't call me this morning! Excuse me if it is rude to say so, but you sound extremely ill... "

"...Of course I'm happy to hear my suggestion was of great help to you, and that you've been inspired." He went quiet for a few seconds, and Colress knew he was calculating and recalculating his response. "If I sound… ill, it's because I came to realize that… when the condition of a patient at this asylum improves, the nurses put them on new medication. Now that I've continued my plan, I'm being forced to take medicine I don't need—as if I haven't been poisoned enough. I spit out as many pills as I can, but now and then I'm observed…"

Colress cringed away, as if he had been struck. "How terrible! But, I can tell this is not the only thing that has been weighing on you. You can confide in me!" He passed the mirror on the vanity, and noticed his brows were knit tightly.

"I know I can confide in you, but unfortunately, I can't be allowed to tell you everything."

"This again?! As I've already pointed out, who's watching? Subjecting me to this sick, sorrowful voice of yours is very unkind—and-and we're supposed to be dearest friends!"

"I apologize, Colress. I'll refrain from calling, if you wish it."

"How can you say that?! You bring out the best in me—that is, the best in my power!" Colress bared his teeth, not miffed, but truly angry. "I thought that you trusted my judgment. You realize that as I was being held captive, I could only think of you and how you would react, don't you? Why doesn't that matter to you?"

"What's this? You were thinking of me even then? Could it be that you truly… care for me, so deeply?" Ghetsis asked, breathlessly.

Colress looked out beyond the doors, beyond the windows, and beyond the balcony, to the vast sky. It was an astonishingly clear day, with not a single cloud. Somehow, he knew that what he would say next had the potential to change their lives forever. It would be an even greater change than their blossoming friendship! All he had to do was choose the right words. He took a breath—his heart fluttered as if he stood on the edge of a precipice. "Of course I do, Ghetsis. After all, I… am your _friend_!"

Ghetsis made a strangled, pained noise, as if he had been shot by Poison Jab. Immediately, Colress knew he had chosen incorrectly. Ghetsis said something that sounded like, "I was right to refuse to believe it," in a whisper, before letting out a hacking cough and returning to his usual volume. "And I sincerely appreciate your friendship. Unfortunately, I hear someone at the library door. Farewell, for now." He ended the call.

Colress collapsed at his desk again, He absentmindedly adjusted the temperature settings on his console in order to warm his body as per Ghetsis's recommendation. Colress glanced back to the sky, and noticed a vibrant rainbow had appeared there despite the clear weather. He felt nothing, and instead looked down at his desk as if its woodgrain was a most interesting subject. His connection to Ghetsis now was so frail! Currently, whether it was due to Ghetsis's health, stubbornness, the phone itself, or Colress's errors, it could shatter in an instant. He got up, with great effort, and walked out onto the balcony. He looked away from the rainbow and to the west, to the Ferry Terminal. It had once again fallen to him to utilize drastic measures—after repairing his console, he would take his Plasma Frigate and return to Unova.


	10. Chapter 10

Tracing Ghetsis's IP address and using it to triangulate the position of the psychiatric hospital had been a simple task. The facility was located southeast of Striaton City, in a clearing in the woods. Colress used his invisibility technology to cloak the Frigate as he flew to the shore—as he did, he watched as the site of the P2 Laboratory underneath the hull came into view on his monitors. He remembered how fighting that trainer there had convinced him he knew what path to follow from that point on—how off-the-mark he had been! He took the ship past the island and landed off the shore of the mainland. The Frigate displaced the water underneath and sent waves crashing against the shoreline. After the waves diminished, Colress inputted the commands that laid out the gangway. After he confirmed it had hit the land, he emerged from the ship and and walked into the dark woods.

Eventually, the trees grew more sparse, and he saw a single gloomy building through the gaps between the branches. He reached the cleared and approached. While the location was admittedly placid, the psychiatric hospital itself was somber. What had once been a white facade had been dirtied—the paint was grey and flaking off. Climbing vines snaked around the foundation and clutched it tightly. An equally aged sign out front read, "Severance Psychiatric Hospital." The hospital was small, and Colress guessed the property had once been owned by a single wealthy family before being bought and repurposed. Colress walked across the dry lawn and up the few steps to the entrance. He pulled the door open and went inside. He was struck by the smell of false Gracidea flowers that only became stronger as he went farther into the building! It was unsurprising that Ghetsis's allergies had been triggered in such a place—he had to suppress the urge to begin coughing himself. The interior was as dim as the exterior, with beige paint covering every wall.

A secretary was sitting at the front desk. "Are you here to visit someone?"

Colress nodded and gave her his prize-winning smile. "Indeed! I'm here to visit Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius."

"That's fortunate. It's been a while since Mr. Harmonia had a visitor. I don't think anyone's come to see him since those three strange… people, I think… stopped coming. And who might you be? We'll need your full name for our records..."

"My name is Doctor Colress Achroma."

She wrote it down on a registry. "Colress, you say? That name sounds familiar."

"Excuse me for being boastful, but I suppose I am a rather famous pokemon researcher. Perhaps that's how you've heard of me."

She looked like she was about to ask a question, but she did not. "All right, then. One more thing—please hand your Poké Balls over to me. We only allow specialists to have their pokemon out, as a preventative measure. We don't want any of the patients being disturbed, or for other pokemon to get in the way of the caregivers."

"Ah, I am glad you are all so dedicated." He handed over his pokemon. He was only there to scout out the area, after all—he would avoid all suspicion for now, and could return later after filing away the necessary info.

The secretary called a nurse and explained that Colress needed to be led to Ghetsis's room. Soon, the nurse, with a Mega Audino in tow, approached Colress. He led him down the halls of the wards, and Colress noticed that the majority of the doors that were not patients' rooms—each of which had a window—were left slightly open so that the staff could see inside. One door he passed was larger than the others, and seemed isolated from the other rooms—it was the library Ghetsis had been calling from. He glimpsed short, rounded bookshelves, and desks in the back with PCs upon them. The floor of the library was covered in an unappealing beige carpet, even more dingy than the walls.

The nurse noticed he seemed lost in thought, and broke the silence. "You came to visit Mr. Harmonia at the right time. He's improved quite significantly recently, and has become very calm."

More like despondent! Colress kept looking down the hall and stopped himself from glaring at him.

"Before, there was nothing he wouldn't do… once, he even sharpened the tips of his eyepatch and stabbed my poor Audino with it!" His Mega Audino shuddered at the memory.

Colress giggled.

The nurse and his pokemon stopped dead in their tracks. Their eyes went wide with horror.

"Oh! Forgive me, I can only imagine how that must have come across!" Colress exclaimed. "It was simply so terrible, there was nothing to do but laugh."

The nurse nodded and continued walking, but his pokemon glanced back at Colress with worry. Colress waved to it. It quickly looked away and ran after its trainer. Finally, they reached Ghetsis's room. It was in the very back of the facility, and the door was shut. Colress did not look through the window—he wanted to speak to Ghesis face-to-face, as equals.

"Are you a friend of his? How do you know him?" asked the nurse. "I feel like I've seen you somewhere before—are you a pokemon professor?"

"I'm an old friend of Ghetsis. We met in graduate school," he said. "I'm a scientist who researches bringing out the full potential of pokemon through bonds of trust. I travel throughout various regions in order to discover my ideal truth," he spoke softly. He did not want to make his presence known before he could greet him personally. "Oh, if it's not too much of an inconvenience, may I introduce myself without your telling Ghetsis he has a visitor beforehand? I believe he would feel more at ease that way."

"That's fine with me. I'll just stand at the ready with my pokemon here if you need anything." The nurse unlocked the door and opened it.

Colress closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, not wanting to reveal his frustration at the lack of privacy or his fast-beating heart. He stepped inside Ghetsis's room and opened his eyes. Ghetsis was sitting on his bed, facing the far wall. He did not stir at the sound of someone entering his room—he must have thought it was a staff member performing scheduled observation. Ghetsis's long hair was down, but looked nothing like the cascade of soft waves Colress remembered. Instead, it was matted and tangled, with many split ends. Ghetsis was trying to run a black comb through it, but he had to rip at his hair to get it to move. A hospital band was on Ghetsis's wrist. Colress managed to tear his gaze away from his hair and look around the room. On the edge of Ghetsis's bed was his dark robe, carefully folded, but highly wrinkled. It was likely that the staff rarely allowed him to wear it, considered how much could be concealed underneath. Ghetsis's cane was nowhere to be seen.

Colress was about to speak, when he heard Ghetsis mutter something. He had to strain to make out fragments of his sentences. "You are disgusting, foul, sinful, and above all, imperfect… how foolish… to think that you could be free to… you would only disappoint him, and he'd never… especially if you would wish to remain celibate… why were you so selfish, when you might have finally been content for once? It's your fault… it's all in ruins..."

Although Colress wanted to puzzle out the meaning of such words, what truly mattered was that Ghetsis was upset and shackled by self-hatred, and so Colress had to assist him! He gathered up all the cheer he could muster. "Ah, Ghetsis, can you guess who has returned to Unova from scenic Alola in order to visit you?"

Ghetsis turned to face him slowly. Under both his wide, tense eye and his eyepatch—which appeared to have been sanded down—were dark circles. "Colress? You came all this way to see me?" He sounded like he had lived among shadows all his life, and was finally visiting the illuminated world.

"Y-Yes, I thought—I wanted to…" Colress trailed off. The two of them gazed at each other. They had known each other for years, yet had scarcely made direct eye contact. One of them was usually slightly to one side, or they would stand at an angle to each other. This was a rare occurrence, but it felt… words flew away from his mind like Starly. As Ghetsis's face turned an adorable Corsola pink, Colress realized he wanted to move in closer and brush the matted hair out of his face. He felt his own face rapidly warming at the thought, and Ghetsis must have noticed this key detail, because his dazed expression began to transform. His face relaxed and he smiled softly, his eyes becoming half-lidded. Colress mewled at the sight—he longed to remove his gloves and run his fingers over his smile in order to understand it perfectly! He heard Ghetsis hum in response, and—

"Excuse me, Colress?" asked the nurse. "Come over here for a minute."

Colress started! He spun around and tried to put his calm and collected look back into place. "Oh?"

The nurse beckoned to him. As Colress walked over, he looked back to Ghetsis, who was tense and grim once again—how soul-crushing! "Yes, what is it?" asked Colress, not bothering to hide his frustration.

"Are the two of you in a relationship?" asked the nurse.

"We-We—th-that is, I… ah!" As he stammered, Colress heard Ghetsis sputtering simultaneously.

The nurse adjusted his glasses. There was a disapproving look in his eyes. "Because Mr. Harmonia is not capable of being in one."

"What's this?"

"Mr. Harmonia is in a delicate state, Colress. I'm sorry to say that this is probably too much for him to handle right now…" he spoke gently, as if trying to placate a rampaging pokemon.

"Excuse me, but _you_ don't have the right to decide such a thing!" Colress snapped. He stepped forward, putting his foot down hard. "I'll report you for this infraction—oh, after I run a few tests on you and your pokemon!"

The nurse's Mega Audino stepped between them and squeaked loudly. It held out its arms, as if it was trying to push Colress away from its trainer.

Colress heard Ghetsis stir behind him and push himself off the bed. "What are you doing? You're only going to be locked up along with me if you behave this way!" he said. With difficulty, he walked up to the doorframe and grasped it to keep balanced.

Ghetsis must have faced this much pain simply from traversing the halls—it must have been terrible for him to have had to walk stealthily to the library multiple times a day. Colress could not stand for it! He drew his original Colress Machine. Before he could point it at his target, the nurse called out, "Mega Audino, use Dazzling Gleam!" Mega Audino closed its eyes, and its feelers curled toward its face. Beams of bright light were drawn toward the pokemon's body.

Colress was shoved forward and stumbled past both the pokemon and its trainer. He whirled around just in time to watch Ghetsis be hit with a bright pink burst of energy—Ghetsis had pushed him out of the way of the attack! Ghetsis winced and covered his eye with his hand, then fell to his knees. The Mega Audino caught him before he collapsed. Colress's mouth went dry and he froze. The nurse was about to call for backup, but Ghetsis drowned out his voice by shouting, "Go—Run! Now!"

Colress followed his order and fled.

* * *

The next minutes blurred together into a single flash, and it was impossible to parse the memory. Somehow, Colress had bolted down the halls of the ward and past the front desk while various staff members and their pokemon chased after him. His own pokemon had not been returned to him, and were left in possession of the secretary. Colress had escaped through the front door of the hospital, but instead of returning to the Plasma Frigate, he had run around the back of the building, to the east, and then through the woods. He had come to sit on a bench near the heart of Striaton City's Garden. His glasses had been knocked off-kilter and the weighted fabric of his console was creased and bunched up on either side of him. The fountain was directly in front of him, and the sound of its water roared in his ears.

The lush bushes with their quivering pink flowers, the soft grass that smelled like it had been freshly-cut, and the clear streams reflecting the bright sun and cirrus clouds seemed to be mocking him. The landscaping was so serene and beautiful, when only a hurricane could mirror his emotions! He wanted the black and white marble statue in the center of the fountain to crumble, just so something could be slightly off-balance. He had been so foolish and overconfident, reaching for his Colress Machine as opposed to simply waiting patiently and reporting the facility for its abusive practices and negligence. However, his anger had been understandable, for they had oppressed Ghetsis for so long. No, what was inexcusable was that he had hurt the one he had fallen in love with. It was clear as a prism that he was deeply and truly in love with Ghetsis. Not realizing this sooner was another one of his many recent mistakes.

Colress got up and placed his hands on the rim of the fountain. He leaned over and saw his reflection among the ripples, a water sprinkling on the back of his neck. He had never looked so frayed—he looked like a broken automaton. He stood there, hunched over for some time, when he noticed a flicker of color. He slowly raised his head—above him, in the shower of water droplets, was a miniature rainbow. Lillie came to the forefront of his mind, which made him huff in annoyance. Despite her gullible nature, she was so confident in he flaws. She threw herself into every task with confidence. Whenever she was brought low, she soon rose up again. If Moon were in danger, she would rush into action like a shooting star. Well then, it would not be right for someone like Lillie to win against him! He was an immensely powerful trainer who could turn the tide of any situation so that he would benefit! Yes, he would not cower in the face of his many mistakes—his love and bond with Ghetsis would instead motivate him to unleash his full power and potential! He would hatch a new plan. After all, he still had spare pokemon in the PC he could withdraw. He would do so, and then it would begin.

* * *

Colress returned to Severance once night fell. He peered through the branches in order to examine the building, whose facade was illuminated by the crescent moon above. He activated his invisibility device and closed in on the facility. He opened the door and entered, then quietly took a few steps away from the front desk, leaving the door open behind him. The secretary looked up from her paperwork, which was his cue to send out a pokemon. He took out a Poke Ball and gently pressed the button—in a flash of light, his Klefki appeared in the doorway.

The secretary noticed the Shiny sparkles and slammed her hands down on the desk, sending documents flying. "A Shiny Klefki came to this awful place, just for me?! Finally, a reward! But wait… how will I weaken it when I don't have any pokemon? Maybe I can just..." She kept her eyes on Klefki and opened a metal cabinet. She took out an Ultra Ball and sent out Colress's Klinklang. She pointed to Klefki, and said, "Use Thunder Wave! Do you know Thunder Wave?"

Klinklang hung in the air and did not listen to her. It turned to Colress, sensing his EM field. "Use Thunderbolt," said Colress. Before the secretary could react to his voice, Klinklang spun its gears faster and shot her with a crackling bolt of electricity! She fell to the floor, unconscious.

Colress took his Ultra Ball from her still-twitching fingers and withdrew both of his pokemon. He recovered his other Poké Balls from the cabinet and replaced them with empty Ultra Balls. He closed the cabinet, organized the paperwork on the desk, and shut the front door, so that everything appeared undisturbed aside from the secretary. Hopefully, anyone who stumbled upon her would assume she had simply fainted due to being overworked! He pressed on, into the maze of halls, which were now lit by rows of fluorescent lights. The hard, cyan cast made everything even more hideous! It looked less like a psychiatric hospital, and more like a holding cell for the spirit world. Several of the lights were malfunctioning, flashing continually. Colress felt his head ache and throb as if it had been hit by Ice Hammer. Even worse, he had to keep his eyes open in order to slip past the caregivers, prolonging the torture!

He sighed quietly once Ghetsis's door came into view, but his heart burned at the sight of the nurse from earlier peering into his room. Fortunately, he soon left to check-in on other patients. Colress waited until he could no longer see him or hear his footsteps, then went up to the door and slipped inside Ghetsis's room, ensuring the door remained still and only partly open. Fluorescent light from the hall fell upon Ghetsis and his bed—Ghetsis was lying on his side, now wearing his robe, which covered him like a thin blanket. He was breathing deeply, his abdomen rising and falling in a steady rhythm. But Colress knew Ghetsis had always slept restlessly, his breaths shallow and shaky.

"I'm here. I know you're only feigning sleep," Colress whispered.

Ghetsis's eye opened immediately. He sat up and stared in the direction of Colress's voice, concern written into his tense face. Colress realized he now felt himself grow cold at the sight of Ghetsis's usual stressed expressions. It was a result of the love he felt for him—he would have to record this finding later on!

"No, no, you're not delusional. I'm simply using my invisibility device—an incredible invention." Colress walked in front of the door, so no one passing by would be able to see him. He quickly turned visible then invisible again, his image flickering in and out of existence like the bioluminescent organ of an lllumise.

Ghetsis smiled. "Well then, you certainly took your time breaking in," he said, even more quietly.

Colress smiled back at him. "How rude. You can't criticize me for making the necessary preparations, especially not when this is a rescue mission."

"Is that what this is?"

"It was my intention, but I wouldn't be opposed to simply having a lovely chat. After all, my company is sanctuary in and of itself."

"Well—" The sound of approaching footsteps made Ghetsis hush himself. He waited for the noise to lessen and disappear completely. "Our talk will have to wait."

"Indeed." Colress moved to stand in front of Ghetsis, and held out his arm so it brushed Ghetsis's shoulder, indicating his presence. "Hold onto my console—as long as we touch, you will also be under the influence of my device. I will also support you as we escape. Why, I still can't believe they took your cane. I'll have to create a new one for you… oh, the Harmonic Mobility Enhancer, perhaps?"

Ghetsis laughed softly. He linked arms with Colress and turned invisible. The two of them left the room, and Colress took a few steps forward, leading Ghetsis to the back door. Ghetsis stopped, causing Colress to pause. "Yes?"

"We must not leave that way, it's too heavily guarded," Ghetsis said, in a hushed tone. "There is a better possibility… do you have a pokemon that can carry us as it's flying, or something like that, if the need arises?"

"Of course. I always prepare for such a thing."

"Then we can make good use of it. There is a small garden in the center of the hospital that patients may visit, and it has no ceiling. The staff rarely monitor it, as only patients whose conditions have significantly improved are allowed inside." He tugged Colress in the direction of the garden, and so Colress changed his path. The two of them strode down the halls, soon reaching a completely unlit area away from the rooms of any patients. A faint blue light from the left side of the hall illuminated the other wall, and Colress recognized the light as the natural illumination of the moon. Indeed, they reached two large glass doors that led to the garden. Colress could see clusters of drooping flowers in the enclosed area. The light from outside also illuminated a bench that sat beside the two doors, where none other than the nurse and his Mega Audino were sitting. Colress felt utterly repulsed.

Ghetsis leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I'll handle this. First, I will…" he explained the plan. He and Colress let go of each other's arm, and Ghetsis turned visible. Losing the subtle weight of Ghetsis made Colress feel so alone!

Ghetsis walked into the moonlight and toward the bench, until the nurse noticed him. "What are you doing awake and out here? You need to go back to your room."

"Ah, but do you have that authority, especially considering your accidentally hitting me with your pokemon today?" asked Ghetsis, using the voice he reserved for his public appearances. The Mega Audino shivered.

"You know that was an accident. Besides, weren't you just asleep? You should be resting."

"I understand that well, which is why I've come here. I was so happy to finally be granted the privilege of visiting the garden—it would be a very restful experience for me after such a painful day. I only ask that you unlock the doors for me, please."

He and especially his pokemon looked wary, but he relented. He took out a keyring and unlocked the doors. "I'll be waiting right here," he said.

Ghetsis forced himself to smile slightly, and Colress beamed—he was imitating his own fake smile! Ghetsis went outside and walked into the heart of the garden, as the nurse leaned against the glass, his eyes trained on him. His pokemon pressed its paws against the door and was also watching Ghetsis carefully. Without turning around, Ghetsis lifted his hand and brought his hair to one side—the signal for Colress to act! Colress took out his original Colress Machine and aimed it at the nurse, then held the button down—his eyes became unfocused and he fell backward, his glasses slipping off and hitting the floor in the process. His Mega Audino squeaked in alarm and tried to hold him up, but he was too heavy for it to lift. As the pokemon struggled Colress targeted it and hit the button again, draining the Mega Audino of energy. It fainted beside its trainer, and its bright frills seemed to evaporate as it lost its Mega Evolution status.

Colress opened the doors and walked over to Ghetsis, enjoying the cool night air. He turned off his invisibility device. The two of turned to smile at each other, engaging in non-verbal communication. It was a very interesting interaction! Before they could be discovered, Colress sent out his Metagross, and for a moment, the burst light from the Poke Ball shone on all the flowers. "Levitate us away from here—I put my trust in you," Colress said. His Metagross tucked in its legs and hovered above the ground. Both Colress and Ghetsis made the most of the opportunity to link their arms once again as they took their seat on top of the pokemon. The two of them sat side-by-side, and before Ghetsis could shy away, Colress made sure to lean against him slightly! Together, they gazed up at the twinkling stars above as they were lifted into the sky.

* * *

Metagross landed at the edge of the woods, for it could not fit between the trees. Colress withdrew it, and he and Ghetsis instead traversed the woods arm-in-arm. The leaves of the canopy shivered slightly in the breeze, while the silvery moon shone on their path. Eventually, they reached the shore and gangway of the Plasma Frigate that lay upon it. There was a concave area in the ocean shaped like a Shoal Shell, indicating the location of the docked vessel. Colress led Ghetsis across the invisible gangway. He paused when they reached the deck. He released Ghetsis's arm, causing them both to become visible. He turned to look Ghetsis in the eye. "So-So, tell me, are you feeling more free? Increasingly capable of releasing your true self?"

"I must be, seeing as I'm now walking on air!" Ghetsis gestured to the sparkling sea that was visible beneath them.

Colress's smile quivered, and his fingers fluttered against his console. He surged forward and embraced Ghetsis. "Oh, I'm glad—I like your truest self the best," he said, hiding his face in Ghetsis's chest. Even through his own energy, he could feel Ghetsis freeze up and his heart rate quicken. Had his actions made him uncomfortable? But then, he felt Ghetsis tentatively rest his arm on him, then gently pull him closer. Colress mewled softly, and in response, Ghetsis slowly stroked his back to the sound of the waves. Colress's breathing became steady and deep, and he closed his eyes. However, he could not simply drift off—Ghetsis deserved to see a clear demonstration of his feelings. Colress summoned his courage and turned his head up in order to look at him directly. But when he did so, their noses brushed together. They stilled. Ghetsis's eye widened as he blushed—in the light of the moon, his face was the color of a Shiny Mareep's wool. The two of them inched closer, until they were sharing each other's breath.

Colress popped one foot out as Ghetsis held on to him—he could not contain this flittering energy! "When you blush, it brings out the beautiful red of your eye!" he exclaimed.

Ghetsis blushed even more deeply and looked away, to the moonlit clouds. He put his hand on his cheek. "Well then… from that angle, your irises appear rectangular, causing you to be even more robotic!"

"Oh, thank you for the lovely compliment!" Colress giggled. He longed to peek at his face while adding more stimuli, but Ghetsis seemed so tired. Overwhelming him with physical affection until he melted would have to wait for another day. He motioned for him to follow. He led him inside the ship—the interior was not under the effects of the invisibility device. They walked through the bay until they reached a lower deck accessible by a flight of stairs. Ghetsis looked down into this new area, which consisted of many small cabins.

"I see you've noticed my renovations," Colress said. "As there was no longer any need for the high-tech security system or the Grunts' rooms, I downsized, then replaced this level with cabins akin to the rooms of a manor house. But before I show you each room, I ought to take you on a tour of the control room, and—"

"Wait." Ghetsis turned to face him. "Is there a bath among these cabins? I still smell of fake Gracidea flowers… I sincerely apologize if any of it seeped into your console."

"Oh, yes, I can take you there. But-But I was the one who chose to e-embrace you, knowing full well that might happen. Fortunately, my console is chemical-resistant!" He and Ghetsis descended the stairs and went to the door of the luxurious bathroom, whose giant marble tub would certainly induce an adorable reaction.

Ghetsis smiled sweetly. "I'm very grateful. After this I'll be ready for when we next shower each other with affection." He went inside.

Colress was left standing outside the door, stammering something unintelligible. His face grew hot as the current of a high-voltage capacitor bank. Was Ghetsis going to continue saying such things forever from this point on?! His heart melted at the thought of it all! After calming his pulse, Colress leaned against the wall, beside the bathroom door. He felt a fluffy, bubbly sensation throughout his body, as if he could dance as gracefully among the clouds as a phantasm, like an Oricorio in its Sensu Style. He was brimming with anticipation—but for what, he could not discern! Although Ghetsis and the bond he shared with him demonstrated to Colress that there were an infinite number of things to care for in this world, he felt as if he had traveled to another dimension regardless!

After recording these interesting findings, the door opened, revealing Ghetsis. His hair was as soft and wavy as Colress remembered, flowing over his shoulders like the streams of water from the move Sparkling Aria. Ghetsis had shed his robe and folded it carefully, and was holding it in his hand. His wrist was free of the hospital band. "You may continue the tour. I'm eagerly awaiting—"

"This way!" Colress exclaimed. He ran back up the stairs, hoping the exertion would help him feel less overcome! After reaching the higher level, he paused and waited for Ghetsis.

"Myah-ha-ha, I see you're even more excited!"

Colress blushed. "W-Well, if you're eager to see more of the ship, don't hold up your guide!"

The two of them walked to a teleporter were surrounded by rings of light. They appeared in the wide, pale blue hallway that branched off in two directions, one to the control room. They walked down the hall before Colress stopped where the Kyurem containment cell had once stood. "As you can see, the Kyurem Cannon is no longer functional, though the supplemental weapons system remains online. Perhaps we can brainstorm about what to replace the cannon with later on!" He pointed to the teleporter on the left. "I did leave your office intact and in pristine when I renovated, but sleeping in that uncomfortable chair... I don't understand."

"You kept it intact? My word, I had no idea you cared so much for me, even back then!" Ghetsis said.

"I-I kept it as it was because I wanted to keep the security camera monitors as they were... there-there was no care involved!" Despite his words, Colress took Ghetsis's hand and walked hurriedly to the teleporter on the right. They appeared in the control room, and Colress ran up to the steering wheel. When he glanced over to Ghetsis and saw his blushing face, he held his hand more tightly, but quickly looked away from him and up at the displays before them. "Ah, and as you can see, the controls are the same as always. It's amusing—just when I had grown used to referring this ship as my Frigate, suddenly it's become our Frigate once again."

Even through his thick glove, Colress felt Ghetsis stroking his hand, rubbing it with little circular motions. "So you say…"

"A-Anyway, we can stargaze together from this room!" With his free hand, Colress gestured theatrically to the viewscreen, which displayed the fuzzy crescent moon and tiny twinkling stars.

"How very romantic of you, Colress!" Ghetsis smirked slightly, clearly relaxed and at ease. Colress had never seen him with such a cheeky expression!

Colress huffed. "Well then, it is only appropriate, because you always look like you have just stepped out of the Romantic Era!"

After visiting a few more areas of the ship—while utilizing every possible excuse to continue holding hands, of course—Colress and Ghetsis returned to the lower deck and its many cabins. Colress opened a door and the two of them entered a small room with a plush couch and a coffee table in the center. Several large bookshelves stood against the walls, and a table beside the door was covered in Colress Machines and other small devices in various stages of assembly.

"In this area, I've placed a little study, as you can see. Sleeping while sitting upright in a desk chair as you once did can be highly detrimental to one's health, so you may sleep on the couch here if you'd like!" Colress said.

Ghetsis nodded and stared at a bookshelf in the corner. He released Colress's hand and walked over to it. He took out a dusty hardcover book with yellowed pages. It was a translated and annotated version of _Propaedeumata aphoristica_. "You have a work by a famous conjurer here?" Ghetsis asked.

"Oh, of course! In my pursuit of truth, it is important to consider the precursors to modern science, and those include the ways of the occult! Oh, I'll adjust the lights so we have a more cozy atmosphere..." He fiddled with the light switch, turning the bluish LEDs that lit the room to a creamy orange, more akin to the light of an incandescent bulb.

Without another word, he and Ghetsis sat down on the soft couch together and opened the book. Time melted away as they commented on its theories, and how it gave equal weight to mathematics and astrology. There were many questions of Colress's mind that had nothing to do with this text—questions such as how and when to fully express his feelings, but as he leaned against Ghetsis, nuzzling his shoulder as Ghetsis hummed, he knew those questions could wait. The two of them became absorbed in the moment and their conversation.

However, even through Ghetsis's shirt, Colress could tell he was cold—Ghetsis was trembling slightly. Colress reluctantly stood up. "Excuse me, wait a moment…" he said. He unbuttoned his Achromatic Wearable Console and set it to a comfortably warm setting, then sat back down. He draped one side of the console over Ghetsis and the other over himself, so they could share the wonder of the temperature-regulating feature he has designed. Ghetsis's eye was sparkling. He set down the book and draped his arm over Colress before burying his head in his shoulder!

Colress mewled. He reached over and wrapped a few strands of Ghetsis's hair around his bare fingers—it was even softer than it looked! Hopefully, the day he could nestle his head in all of it would arrive soon. Ghetsis hummed again and massaged Colress's back, but soon his movements slowed. He removed his eyepatch and set it down on the coffee table, then looked up from Colress's shoulder. Colress nodded in response to the wordless question he had asked and removed his glasses in turn—they mutually agreed to stay entwined until tomorrow, as they held each other close and continued to nuzzle.

THE END


	11. Bonus Chapter: Awakening

_Author's Note: a short bonus one-shot set immediately after Routines Rewritten. Ghetsis and Colress grow used to their new dynamic and the relationship between domesticity and their evil plans._

Awakening

Ghetsis felt himself being fully enveloped by something soft and pleasantly warm, as if the wings of a Moltres were caressing his body. Normally, he became chilly during every night of restless sleep, but this time his repose had been so peaceful, he had not even experienced any scattered dreams. There was only deep comfort.

He was further burying his head into one of the sources of warmth when he felt gentle touches on his arm. He looked up and slowly opened his eye. He started at the sight of Colress gazing at him, his face tinged light pink like the underside of a Mega Altaria's plumage.

Ghetsis remembered the myriad of events that had unfolded the previous night and soon relaxed. He glanced down at his arm—Colress was slowly walking his fingers across it. Ghetsis felt his heart beat fast and he quickly looked away and back to Colress's face. His eyes were shining and fully open, and he had clearly been as refreshed by their sleep as Ghetsis had.

Ghetsis reveled in the feeling of Colress's spritely fingers on his arm as the two of them made Mareep's eyes at each other. They smiled slightly, as if reflecting on the shared knowledge of a secret.

Eventually, Ghetsis realized that it fell upon him to speak the first words. "...What would you like for us to do today, Colress? Did you have anything planned?"

"Indeed, I did!" Colress reached down to the little coffee table that stood in front of them in order to pick up his glasses. The sight of Colress's glasses sitting beside Ghetsis's eyepatch made Ghetsis blush. He followed Colress's cue and picked up his eyepatch as well, with them touching hands in the process.

Colress then stood up—Ghetsis noticed he made no move to take back his Achromatic Wearable Console, which he had draped over the two of them like a blanket. Instead, Colress held out his hand to Ghetsis. "Follow me!"

Ghetsis stood up and accepted the offer, keeping Colress's console draped over his shoulders, for he enjoyed how it reminded him of sitting with his back to a fireplace. Before, when he had only known ice, he had not ever realized he was cold—but now, everything had changed. Ghetsis held Colress's hand gently and carefully stroked it, enjoying the feeling of his surprisingly warm skin. Colress led Ghetsis to a table on the other side of the study that had various mechanical parts and papers covering its surface.

Colress put his free hand down on a map with various meticulous notes on it. "As you can see, I've plotted a research expedition of several previously-undiscovered islands that lie between Unova and Alola. There is always a possibility of unknown pokémon hiding in one of their coves!"

"Excellent... perhaps I'll find a promising Jellicent along the way. I've always wanted to capture one. The idea of a pokémon dragging unsuspecting humans to the depths of the ocean has always been such a Romantic thought to me."

"Oh, we should drag a few of the silly people who stood in the way of our..." Colress paused. "...ah, of our exploring our potential to the aphotic zone!" He giggled lightly, like the pealing of an adorable little bell.

Ghetsis smiled softly. "The thought warms my heart! We'll put our plan into action after we eat."

* * *

Ghetsis slipped the pan into the toaster oven before turning back to Colress, who was sitting at the little round table. It was clear he was unused to company, for he had no tablecloths, and no full oven in his miniature kitchen. "...We can talk while that's cooking. You have too many sweets, Colress—I could hardly find anything!" said Ghetsis.

Colress puffed out his cheek. "Oh please, I never asked you to cook—you took that upon yourself! And you could stand to eat a few more sweets—it's such a shame you're not squishy anymore!"

"It was only right after what you have done for me. And wouldn't you calm down if you incorporated more whole foods into your diet?"

"I burn all of my energy during field research. I don't need to include more _boring_ foodstuffs into my diet."

"You are the boring one if you can't think of anything interesting to do with those 'boring' foods!" Ghetsis said, with no bite behind his words.

Colress huffed and looked askance. He ran his fingers over the table's cool, reflective surface, as if he were drawing some arcane symbol, consulting an oracle to devise a proper comeback. Though it had only been a day since this new paradigm shift in their dynamic, Ghetsis empathized, for he had felt like consulting a few oracles himself. Though the fact that he could now do anything he wanted and follow his whims was one of the new doors Colress had opened for him, and he knew that well.

"Myah-ha-ha…" Ghetsis laughed quietly.

Colress looked back at him. "Oh? Was the sound I made so amusing to you?"

"No... I'm laughing because, perhaps since we've already known each other for so many years, we've already become an old married couple!"

"If you're trying to use that as an excuse to get out of giving me all the lavish courting gifts I deserve, you won't succeed, Ghetsis!" Colress's little angular smile felt like it shone upon Ghetsis.

"Well then, I don't know about lavish, but I have noticed your phone case is far too plain and noticeably lacking in cute details." Ghetsis crossed the room and sat down across the table from Colress, so he could meet his gaze. "I was thinking I could customize it for you... I've heard you can use nail polish to decorate them."

"Oh, that would be so thoughtful of you!"

The two of them sat there for a time, the only sounds the ticking of the toaster oven's timer and their deep, relaxed breaths. Colress was tapping the table now, his fingers moving like the wings of a Butterfree, though Colress was far more a Beautifly, clad in both different grey tones and bright primary colors, in love with flitting from place to place, yet aggressively devoted to a single goal—gorgeous, adorable, vivacious, and brutal.

Colress suddenly covered his face with his hands and let out a long, drawn-out mewl. "You're right... we are an old married couple…" he murmured.

"Yes." Ghetsis carefully reached out, before gently laying his hand over one of Colress's, and Colress peeked out and took his hand. Ghetsis drew their hands closer to him and looked Colress in the eye. Ghetsis felt his face heat up as he drew in a breath. There was one thing he felt compelled to tell his other half. "I love... it," he declared.

Colress's blush doubtlessly mirrored his. "O-Oh!" he stammered, squeezing Ghetsis's hand. "I love... it, too!"


	12. Awakening Part II

The rain battered the old manor house. The sound reverberated through every room. Ghetsis stood inside the parlor facing the front door, as he watched and waited, impatient to return to his study. He knew this place was only a temporary base of operations for himself and his Sages, and he had to work to engrave the fact that none of this was wasted time—that he should not force the hands of the clock—into his mind. Humans were not like pokémon. They could not be controlled en masse with simple devices. Ghetsis remembered that Colress had once mentioned a famous short story in which the world was full of pokémon who controlled humans with the equivalent of Poké Balls—an utterly ridiculous concept—but if only such a world were his, everything would be far more convenient.

Finally, he heard a rapping at the door. He unlatched it, and in the amber flicker of the porch light stood Anthea and Concordia. He smirked when he noticed the shivering bundle Concordia was holding close to her chest.

Ghetsis beckoned them inside. "What's this? Another lost soul?" he asked, carefully tempering his satisfaction to disguise it as benevolence.

Anthea nodded as she wrung out her heavy skirt. "Yes, father."

"Well then, let me take a look at it."

Concordia stepped forward and held out the bundle in her arms. She whispered something softly to it and it stopped its shivering, but stubbornly refused to emerge. Concordia then shifted the blanket until two little eyes and a pale face appeared, enclosed by the mess of drapery.

Ghetsis leaned down to inspect the pokémon, but it hastily buried itself within the wet fabric once more. Ghetsis felt himself tense in frustration, but he forced a low laugh. "Myah-ha-ha... so timid. It certainly deserves the utmost care." Despite the pokémon's pathetic cowardice, that glimpse had been enough for Ghetsis to recognize it as a Petlil of somewhat greater potential strength than average. If, in the process of shaping N's education, this Petlil was made to cast its weakness aside, it could become a useful tool once evolving. "Excellent work, my daughters. You are making a great difference in the lives of these unfortunate pokémon. Now, take it to our budding King's room." He longed to return to his study, but stopped himself to add, "But be sure to change your damp clothes beforehand. Rood has stoked the fireplace, and you should warm yourselves. I wouldn't want you to fall ill!" Finally, he turned to go.

"Wait, father..." Concordia called out, quiet as a specter.

Ghetsis paused before the dimly-lit staircase. "What is it?"

"I have taken a great liking to this Petlil, and I wish for it to stay by my side. It seems very happy to be close to me, as well." She petted it as she spoke. "May I keep it as my first pokémon? I am old enough… older than N."

Ghetsis turned back to her. Concordia's logic was sound, as always, thanks to the education he had proudly arranged for her. And while he had seen the Petlil's blatant disrespect for him, he knew it would be no threat without undergoing evolution and training, which his daughter would be unlikely to grant it. He could simply keep any Sun Stones far from her grasp. Yet at the same time, this pokémon had been clearly warped by ill treatment, and the shaping of N took priority. Ghetsis had already waited patiently for years on end, and it was only just that he drive his plans forward. With this in mind, he put his good hand on Concordia's shoulder, with slightly more force than he had intended. "So what if you chose each other? As gentle as your hand is sure to be, Concordia, don't you agree that this poor thing would better thrive under N's watchful eye?"

Concordia looked up at him with big, woeful eyes. "But… I have been trained in the ways to give care to pokémon. The Sages have trained me. You have trained me."

"Of course. But surely we all understand N's special abilities… abilities none of have been granted, save _him_. Any amount of training we undergo can't change that. It's the way things are. I know that you're still a child, but know that when you grow older, one day you'll realize that one must make sacrifices to stay on a righteous path."

"I am older than N…" she muttered.

"Indeed. You are closer to reaching that understanding." He smirked and took his hand away, and went to the stairs.

Concordia made no move to follow him.

"You shall receive the Petlil once N is finished with it," said Ghetsis, without looking at her, as he ascended the stairs to reach the shadowy second floor. "In fact, considering you were so obedient, tomorrow I'll give you a different pokémon to care for in the meantime as a reward!"

* * *

Pictograms drew Ghetsis in as abstracted letters never could. They still held a clear connection to the forms of what they represented, and parsing them was like seeing history and human life frozen in time, held captive by parchment and ink. Nothing could make Ghetsis feel more grand than seeing how insignificant the travails of others looked from this perspective. He longed for the day when he could stand upon a parapet and watch how small the masses looked—only that could be more thrilling. That was why he sat at his desk, poring over mountains of commentaries on the culture and practices of the ancient kingdom he was tied to by blood. When the time came to put his plan into action, he knew every move would be painstakingly arranged, meticulous calculated—perfect. In the lamplight, these heavy, annotated editions, bookcases, and stacks of academic papers cast such deep pools of shadow he often caught himself expecting to touch the dark, waxen wood surface and fall into another realm.

The deep creak of the door made Ghetsis drop his pen with a start. He whirled around, and there stood Anthea, looking like a fairy from some Fuseli painting. She peered into the study timidly before Ghetsis suppressed his urge to grumble and instead motioned for her to step inside. Her eyes were glassy and her mouth inexpressive.

"Are you jealous that your sister is getting a pokémon as a gift? I'll give you your own—you did not have to interrupt my important work," said Ghetsis. He had so many spare pokémon in reserve he currently had no use for. He had already decided that his daughters' first pokémon ought to be a Ralts and Gothita—emotion and observation, imagination and actuality. That was what the two of them had always so dutifully contributed.

Anthea shook her head. "There is something that has been haunting me."

Weighty words for someone who had scarcely endured hardship. Ghetsis was intrigued. "Then, inform me, and perhaps I can ease your burden."

Anthea shut the door tightly, as if she about to give voice to a well-guarded secret. She came closer, to stand beside Ghetsis, though she was careful not to touch any of the items that lay upon the desk. She and her sister embraced decorum as a bosom friend. "I am wondering about… the meaning of my name, father."

Ghetsis instinctively turned his head to the side in disbelief—he had trained himself to look around whenever he felt lost, in order to ensure he was always correctly judging the distance between objects. "What? The Sages have already told you that your name is—"

"'Anthea' is an epithet for Hera, and also means 'blossom.' Of course, but my question goes deeper than that…"

Apparently, he would have to dash what he thought about the relationship between her and decorum—she had never cut him off before! He unthinkingly gripped the arm of his chair. "Tell me plainly, Anthea."

She ran her pale hand over the irregular grain of a drawer, though Ghetsis knew she would never dare open it and risk disturbing a file. "Ah, yes… I learned from Sage Giallo that Hera is not only the queen of the pantheon, but the goddess of marriage and childbirth. However, my siblings and I are not your children by blood… and you are not married. I wonder, then, why you gave me this name?"

"That is an interesting question, Anthea, but I would have expected you to figure out that your name is inspired by the union of family and the power of a matriarch from a wider perspective. Surely this can't be your only impetus for asking, especially when you know full well you're interrupting my work."

As Anthea stood silently amidst the low light and long shadows, she looked less like herself and more like some gilt wooden idol ready to pass judgment on someone, its expression severe. Normally, Ghetsis could quickly discern anyone's thoughts, including those of his children, whether they had been given voice or not. But in this strange moment, Anthea's inner self was a locked diary. She finally spoke. "I was discussing fairy stories with Sage Zinzolin, and he told me girls can fall in love with other girls and boys can fall in love with other boys… while others do not fall in love at all. Is this the truth, father?"

So this was what had been burdening her. Ghetsis could not claim to be surprised—she was at that age. But how much should he tell her—how much could he tell her? After all, if he told her the truth, his relatives would punish both of them if they found out. It would be extremely inconvenient and would defeat the goal of his plan. But a lie in the moment would lead to Anthea becoming unsatisfied and doubtful later on, and he could not risk her undermining him in secret, working against his machinations from within, particularly when she had such a close relationship with N. Fortunately, as Anthea herself had brought up, none of Ghetsis's three children were related to him by blood. The larger Harmonia family would view them as inconsequential debris, and were unlikely to look into anything Ghetsis taught them. Having come to this realization, Ghetsis answered truthfully, "Of course it's the truth, don't you remember studying Sappho's works?" His patience was running dangerously low. With the last dregs of it, he considered that Anthea was tenderhearted and that this was a delicate matter in a child's life. He did not want to reward her loyalty and daily labor with scars. He was far more just than his own parents had been. "...And if you have no interest in boys, that is all right."

Anthea's face took on a pinched look. "My question was not about me, father! Have _you_ ever fallen in love?"

"What?!" Ghetsis was taken utterly aback. He felt confused—and he hated that feeling from the depths of his soul.

"Have you ever fallen in love?" she asked, more firmly.

He felt his face grow hot against his will. "N-No! What reason could you possibly have for asking me such a question?" He nearly raised his voice to her, but he held back. He had to maintain control. A perfect ruler would never let his temper flare over anything so inconsequential.

Anthea heaved a sigh that sounded like the whisper of a Shuppet. "Ah, then I wanted you to know that when you do fall in love, it must be with a lady and not a man. We dearly need a mother in our lives… then we will not a broken family any longer."

Ghetsis scowled deeply. What a waste of time and effort this conversation had been. "My plan is to find a que—a wife for myself in the future, Anthea. It must happen, and nothing else can be allowed. You have nothing to fear. I'm certain she'll be to your liking… in the future. For the time being, I have other duties to attend to, including the work you've ungraciously interrupted." His eye narrowed. It felt dry. "And this is not a broken family—broken families result when something is lost, not when there was never more than a single parent in the first place. If you foolishly repeat your misinterpretation, you'll be derided as a bigot." He turned back to his desk, resolved to stare at his work and completely shut her out. "You must be exhausted. You should go run off to bed."

"But… we _are_ a broken—"

"Come now, Anthea, you should be sleeping. Do you see how dark it's become outside?"

After some time, Ghetsis heard the door creak as it closed, but he could not distinguish a single footfall, as if his young daughter had simply glided across the floorboards. He wrote off this entire, frustrating incident as a freak occurrence as he returned to his dictionaries and their fragile, anciently-inscribed pages.

* * *

He lay resting, his head cradled by something pleasantly soft. He turned slightly, feeling it brush against his face—with mild curiosity, he noticed he did not have his eyepatch on. The vague awareness that this left him vulnerable began to sink in, and yet he did not feel alarm. Suddenly, something warm gingerly alighted on his head and ran through his hair, before settling on the back of his neck. Ghetsis then felt it leave, and found he longed to feel its gentle pressure once again. He let out a low, quiet hum and pushed himself up to a sitting position, and he fell back against the headboard.

"I see that our decision to read in bed rather than on the couch did not proceed as planned," said Colress, who was sitting beside Ghetsis and pouting in that disarmingly adorable, theatrical way of his. "Even a single research expedition can tire you out, I see… I'll have to record this finding!"

Ghetsis smiled. "Ah, and the term 'research expedition' now encompasses taking the man you l—are involved with on a trip to a beautiful greenhouse because you enjoy listening to his voice as he lights up with excitement after seeing some interesting specimen?" His heart beat faster as he prayed Colress had not registered his slip-up.

Colress blushed slightly, but gave no other indication of having noticed. "Oh, please, I merely had to visit that facility because I-I was researching the diet of one of my test subjects, and I brought you along because I could not be so cold-hearted as to deprive you of my lovely aura!"

"Myah-ha-ha, your making excuses means little, considering we're lying in bed together!" With these words, he felt a wave of shyness wash over him. It made little sense—somehow, despite everything having been so established, speaking such words aloud was still a grand event.

"Well now, we both know this is the perfect setting for me to test your level of squishiness," Colress said, singsong. He lightly poked at Ghetsis's forearm to punctuate his statement.

Ghetsis made an embarrassing noise—one he knew Colress found endearing—and hastily picked up the collection of short stories the two of them had been discussing. "...Ah, as I was saying, Olson's story can be read as a moment in which a paradox—a blaze above ice—leads to a brief union with the divine. It echoes writers of the past who also deified nature..."

"...But he also believes that whether his ideal truth is by nature spiritual or scientific, the phenomenon is equally moving."

"Yes, he'll also find experiencing those dancing colors above the black sheet of ice sublime..." Ghetsis trailed off. He remembered stark shadows and crumbling tomes, and the conversation about marriage that still prickled in the back of his mind.

Colress turned to gaze at him directly, his eyes fully open and his glasses off—they were on the nightstand, facing Ghetsis's eyepatch. "It seemed you were dreaming when you'd drifted off just now. I observed that it was not a pleasant dream… do you wish to talk about it?"

Ghetsis nodded. He shifted to lean against Colress, sinking into their easy affection. "It isn't simple to explain. I was remembering the past, and a confusing, unexpected situation." He recounted the memory in great detail.

Colress listened attentively, his only comments gentle touches. Only when the tale was told did he speak. "Oh… when you spiralled into self-hatred, was a thought of punishment the reason? Was it because you miss your dream of a queen? I must admit I've been wondering at the causes for some time." He drew in a breath. "I apologize for denying my pure and true feelings for you. I never wanted my immaturity to make you unsafe, Ghetsis." He reached down to touch Ghetsis's hand, and they intertwined their fingers.

Seeing Colress so downcast made Ghetsis's heart sink. "No, I was the one to blame. I should have trusted you and revealed my feelings, as you are my dearest friend, Colress. Any punishment inflicted on myself was my own—my parents and the rest of my relatives are rotting away and see me as a madman. What little influence they had over me disintegrated when we strengthened our friendship. And through our… reconnecting, I realized that the unexpected can bring happiness as opposed to pain, and that you are more suited to me than any other being, whether as a friend or more. I was the immature one for not professing all of this sooner." He gently squeezed Colress's hand.

"That is fortunate. Still, my constantly claiming to hate you must have made things very frustrating, and it is understandable that you could not see a way to proceed, and I do not agree that you're the one who was most immature." Colress smiled—his angular, genuine smile. "Now, however, you should know that you're always free to confide in me when you are unsure."

"Well then… I feel that we now owe it to ourselves to discuss… this."

"Oh? And what is this?"

" _This_ refers to every new development in our… bond," he murmured, borrowing Colress's parlance. "If at all possible I desire to continue strengthening our bond as part of my new path. But we must discuss your desires in order to see whether or not I am capable of meeting them."

"Well then… it sounds as if our desires are the same, but I need more clarification." Colress stroked Ghetsis's hand, as if to memorize the feel of it on his skin.

Ghetsis swallowed hard. "Will you be disappointed to hear I wish to remain celibate?"

Colress's eyes widened and he suddenly released Ghetsis's hand in surprise. "N-No! I don't have that expectation of you—I just—I want to be with you!" he stammered.

Ghetsis sighed, relieved. He smiled softly. "I'm incredibly happy to know you feel that way, Colress. I feel the same. And... I should mention that I hope what I've said doesn't make you believe I don't find you adorable and gorgeous, because I certainly do!"

Colress made a high-pitched sound as his face turned bright pink. "And-And I also find you t-to be that way! I am also h-happy!" He turned away and stared at the wall, as if the deepest secrets of the universe were written upon its smooth surface.

Ghetsis carefully reached out and put his hand on Colress's shoulder. Colress calmed down before slowly looking back at him, until they were facing each other, gazing directly into each other's eyes. Ghetsis still felt wonder at how supremely powerful, yet loving the experience of this eye contact could be. The two of them stayed this way for a while, content just being together. Ghetsis used to fight his fantasies of support and romance in years past, but now he embraced his daydreams.

Colress eventually spoke, laying down his reverie. "W-Well then, it's very dark outside, and as we're here in bed together, I suppose we must sleep…"

"Y-Yes…"

Colress leaned forward to turn out the light, but in the process, he and Ghetsis ended up in a familiar position—their noses were touching, their faces so close together they could feel each other's breath, and this time, there was not even their eyewear to act as a barrier. They both stilled.

"Oh… would you… like a goodnight kiss?" Colress asked.

Ghetsis glanced down at Colress's lips, then quickly looked back up again. He knew he was on the verge of a momentous decision, yet his heart was at peace. He carefully lifted his hand and brought it between the two of them so that he could tilt Colress's chin up slightly and better gaze into his wide, glimmering, yellow-green eyes. Colress responded by leaning in slightly, before hesitating. Ghetsis nodded. But the two of them had frozen, each of them waiting for the right moment.

Suddenly, they both surged forward at the same instant and closed the distance between them, reveled in the surprisingly tender glow of each other's lips for a moment, then jolted backward from the shock. Colress mewled and Ghetsis hummed, and both of them shivered joyously.

"You—would you... like another kiss?" Ghetsis asked.

Colress giggled. "Yes!" he exclaimed. He leaned over and Ghetsis responded in kind, and this time they pulled each other closer so their bodies were pressed flush together. Their eyelids fluttered closed. Eventually, they pulled away, but remained embracing each other. Colress's cheeks were the color of a shiny Dragonair's scales, and Ghetsis knew he looked much the same himself.

"...I simply want to snuzzle with you…" Colress said quietly.

Ghetsis's smile widened. "...Did you just try to say the words 'snuggle' and 'nuzzle' simultaneously, only to end up with a portmanteau?"

"Hmph! It-It was intentional!" Colress puffed out his cheek.

"Well then, your desire to snuzzle mirrors my own," said Ghetsis, his voice light.

Colress giggled once again and turned off the light. In the dark, they curled up together. Colress lay his head down on Ghetsis's chest and nuzzled against him, burying his face in Ghetsis's long, wavy hair, while Ghetsis pulled Colress closer and gave him a back massage. Together, they drifted off to sleep and dreamed of the bouquet of colors of an aurora.


End file.
